


Must be Able to Kill Bugs

by Monroha



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Shownu's not, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, cute friends joohyuk, minhyuk is afraid of bugs, there are spiders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2019-10-29 03:50:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 26,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17800550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monroha/pseuds/Monroha
Summary: When a spider enters the house, Minhyuk decides it's time to get a roommate.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic! Hope you enjoy! - Jay

"Not today Satan!!"

Minhyuk screamed as he ran up the stairs at the speed of light, away from the devil incarnate.

The college student considered himself a fairly rational human being. He was in psychology after all, and approached problems with a combination of sympathy and logic. The blonde was starting his second year with mediocre grades, a few good friends and a small apartment he had recently moved into. Minhyuk thought of himself as a perfectly average, broke and sleep deprived university student. If his parent’s love could pay for tuition, he would have been set. Unfortunately that wasn't how school fees worked. He had taken a couple years off after highschool to make enough money to attend college. Along the way, he had dealt with his fair share of difficult and arrogant people. But of course, that was a constant struggle in the game called life. He was also aware his ability to talk for extended amounts of time made others consider him annoying. Not that he minded. 

Minhyuk was not weak.

Minhyuk could overcome anything.

And yet, he had a kryptonite. Something that made him become the most useless and terrified person in the world.

Insects.

Any type of creepy crawler really. Spiders were the worst. Minhyuk had never experienced any particularly traumatizing event concerning them. Simply seeing them in his home at random was as disturbing an event as any. They were scary and he hated them all. He always screamed and could never kill them. The blonde was always forced to live in a state of constant fear until he was confident they had been disposed of.

Yeah, yeah, spiders are good for the earth. They eat mosquitos, and insects are part of the food chain, blah blah blah. Minhyuk had heard it all before. And he was fine with them outside. But they were not a part of the food chain in his house. If they could just stay outside where they belonged, that would be great. Thanks.

Minhyuk did not think this would be a problem when he moved out of the dorms. Yet here he was, running away from a spider the size of his head. The blonde slammed the door to the basement. He quickly grabbed a towel and placed it on the floor, covering any spot a bug could get through. It was big, it couldn't get through the side cracks…..Right? Ok, maybe it wasn't quite the size of his head. But the spider was still pretty large and it looked ready to attack.

Minhyuk’s small apartment was on the ground floor, but there was a small basement area with a washer and dryer. The blonde had moved in a week ago, but had not needed to wash his clothes until now. 

Another thing he had been procrastinating on was getting a roommate. Minhyuk had moved in on short notice. The landlord had been kind enough to allow Minhyuk enough time to find his own roommate, with him paying the full rent in the meantime. Fortunately, the blonde’s savings allowed him the liberty. He wanted to try and find someone he approved of, instead of getting stuck with a random person.

But that wasn't the problem right now. The problem was the spider. Minhyuk quickly grabbed his phone and made a call. 

"Hyung? What do you want?" A drowsy voice answered the phone, but Minhyuk was in too much distress to feel bad for waking up his friend.

"Jooheon. I need you to come here right now."

There was silence on the other side before Minhyuk heard a sigh. "There's a spider, isn’t there hyung?"

While this was true, Minhyuk hated the idea of being so predictable. "Now why would you automatically jump to that conclusion?" the blonde said defensively.

"Hyung. It is 2am on a school night. Why else would you be calling?"

"Booty call?" Minhyuk suggested in a high pitched tone. Suddenly his desperation to kill the bug was forgotten in his petty desire to not give Jooheon the satisfaction of knowing him so well.

He heard a low laugh. "Well, you’ve never called me for that before and if that's it then I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to slee-"

"Fine! There's a giant spider and I need you to kill it or else I’ll be up all night from the pure terror. Please come. Pretty please." The scared boy begged over the phone.

"I'm not sure why you’re asking me. You know I'm just as scared as you are. Maybe even more."

"Oh come on Heony! Don't you even love me?"

"Nope. Not that much."

"You didn't even hesitate!" Minhyuk whined.

"It's cuz I'm that sure. Just go to bed hyung. I'm sure it's fine. Night."

"But Jooheon wait I-" Minhyuk stopped, realizing he was talking to a dead line. What good was a best friend who wouldn't even kill a simple spider in the early hours of the morning? 

The blonde boy sighed. He really wasn't cut out to live alone. For now, both the laundry and the spawn of Satan would have to be forgotten. Instead, he decided to focus on the one thing that he could control. His roommate. Minhyuk had put it off long enough and was now compelled by an urgent need. 

Jooheon had told him about a website made for students to find a roommate. It allowed them to outline exactly what they were looking for and any sort of strange conditions. According to Jooheon, it was better than Facebook. It was also how he found his current, quiet roommate.

Minhyuk opened his laptop with determination and typed in the search bar, _‘my perfect roommate'_. The blonde quickly filled in all the required information, like the address and room details. The boy typed in a state of frenzy, determined to obtain a suitable roommate as soon as possible. He was confident in the specs of his apartment. It was a 15-minute walk from the school and his roommate could have his own room with a shared kitchen and living space.

Finally, he approached the text box that asked, _Any specific things your perfect roommate should be able to do?_ He didn't hesitate as he typed quickly.

_MUST BE ABLE TO KILL BUGS._

Satisfied, he clicked post. And it was done. No other conditions, no other preferences. Minhyuk didn't even bother filling out the detailed survey of his perfect roommate's personality. He didn't care about that. He was confident he could deal with anyone. Minhyuk just needed someone to kill all the bugs.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! Thanks for all the positivity from last chapter~^^ - Jay

It had been two days since the spider fiasco. Minhyuk had replaced the towel on the floor with tape, covering the edges of the door. It may be a dangerous fire hazard, but the blonde was willing to take the chance. There were also no replies to his post on the website and the boy was beginning to lose hope. He had only put one request and it wasn't even that strange. He knew for a fact that Jooheon had written a very detailed list of personality traits his roommate must possess. Yet, he still got tons of replies before settling on Changkyun.

Minhyuk sighed as he refreshed his phone again, hoping someone would have replied in the last ten seconds. He was sitting in the student lounge across from Jooheon, who was complaining about his day.

"No, but hyung just listen. Cuz a thing happened and honestly I'm not over it. And I should be but like....I'm not. And hyung there are actions that go with my story so you have to look at me." Jooheon whined, leaning into the table.

"Hm?" Minhyuk looked up from his phone and raised his eyebrow inquisitively.

The younger boy swept his bright red hair out of his eyes before continuing. "Ok so my Prof was talking about the logistics of the game Simon Says and-"

"Wait, why was he talking about Simon Says?" The blonde interrupted.

"I don't know, I wasn't paying attention until that point. So anyway then he-"

"Wait, what class was this?" Minhyuk interrupted again, already confused.

"Digital literature. So as I was saying he-"

"How can literature be digital?"

"Oh my god hyung! Will you let me talk?!" Jooheon yelled exasperatedly, earning him a few looks of annoyance from other students. 

"Ok, sorry. I won't interrupt anymore." The blonde reassured him. Contrary to how much he teased, he did love his best friend.

Jooheon dramatically took a deep breath. "As. I. Was. Saying." He enunciated before continuing. "My Prof was talking about Simon Says. So naturally, he gave an example. He said 'Simon says put your right hand up, Simon says put your left hand up' and so I was sitting in the middle and following along, but like not obviously. I was just doing it for myself." The red haired boy demonstrated, putting each hand up to the height of his shoulders. "So then he said 'Put your hands down.' So I did. AND THEN, even though he wasn't looking at me at all, he suddenly pointed at me and said, 'See, you lost. I didn't say Simon says'. And like, I just don't know what to do." The boy finished and slumped in his chair melodramatically, looking to his friend expectantly.

Jooheon seemed to be looking for some sort of sympathy. Minhyuk, however, wouldn't give it easily. "Wait, I don't get it. What's the problem?" The blonde asked, extremely confused at the reaction of his friend. "Did everyone stare at you? Were you embarrassed? Is that why you’re upset?"

"No. I know everyone in the class, I don't care about that. The point is that I lost! I lost a game of Simon Says, Minhyuk! I lost a game I wasn't even aware I was playing! I never signed up for it and I still lost! That's why I'm upset." The boy finished matter of factly.

Minhyuk gaped at him. "So...you're upset that you lost a game of Simon Says...?"

"Yes exactly! I just can't believe I lost y'know? Like, I know the rules. I guess I'm just out of practice." Jooheon spoke as if convincing himself of the fact.

Before Minhyuk could come up with a sassy response to his friends stupidity, a notification came up on his phone. 

_Are you still looking for a roommate?_

It was a comment on his new roommate post. Minhyuk jumped up, startling Jooheon as he let out a small squeal of excitement. The red haired boy raised his eyebrows in question before the blonde turned his phone to show him.

"This is great hyung! Hurry and reply." As Minhyuk turned to type, Jooheon caught his wrist and turned it to look at the phone again. "Wait. The username is _Angry Hamster._ Are you sure you want that as your roommate? There's not even a picture or anything."

"Not that, he’s a him. See? It indicates he's male on his site profile. And honestly Jooheon, it's been 2 days. I really can't afford to be picky at this point. And if I hate him, I'll just spend lots of time at your house."

Jooheon sighed. "Changkyun wouldn't be happy about that. He thinks you're loud and doesn't like you."

"False! He knows I'm loud and he loves me." The blonde said matter of factly, pointing a finger in the air to emphasize his confidence.

"But really hyung, I think you should be a little more selective-" the blonde raised a hand to silence his friend as he quickly typed out a reply.

_Yes I am~ Please message me if you are interested :D_

"Sent! Now I just need to wait for a message." Minhyuk exclaimed cheerfully.

A few seconds later, there was a notification from the messaging app linked to the website. The app offered a safe way to get to know possible future roommates, without giving away personal contact information.

_**Angry Hamster:**  
Hello Minhyuk ssi. I am interested in renting your apartment with you. I am willing to answer any questions on here, but I can not meet in person until later in the evening at the earliest. I am a student at your university and am very quiet. I think we can get along well enough to tolerate living together. _

That was a good enough introduction for Minhyuk. This guy seemed similar to him. Just wanting a place to live, and not caring who he shared it with. The blonde immediately moved to sit on the arm of his friend’s chair, showing him the message. “I think I’ll just tell the landlord I found a roommate and he can arrange for this guy to move in right away.” 

Jooheon sighed, probably exhausted from feeling like a broken record. “Hyung.” He started slowly, so that the excitable boy registered his words. “I really think you should meet him and decide. What if he's creepy? Or a serial killer? What if he's a creepy serial killer?!”

Even though Minhyuk knew that Jooheon was being serious, he was used to ignoring the ridiculous scenarios his friend’s wild imagination came up with. The blonde sighed and shook his head, texting his landlord to say that he found a possible roommate. He then sent the phone number of the landlord to Mr. ‘Angry Hamster’, along with a message that he looked forward to meeting him. Minhyuk wanted to speed things along, but also wanted to pass the task off for the landlord to deal with. If the boy pulled out after seeing the apartment, it would be handled by the landlord.

Jooheon read over his friend’s shoulder before freaking out again. "Hyung!" The red haired boy whined loudly. This time, he didn’t seem to care about bothering the students in the once peaceful lounge. “I told you to meet him first! You don't even know his real name! I told you to be cautious and selective. Why do you never listen to reason?”

“I listen to reason Heony. I just don’t listen to you,” Minhyuk quipped cheerfully in a sing song voice, not looking up from his phone.

The younger boy gasped in offense. But before he could come up with a retort, the blonde grabbed his bag and stood up hastily. “Gotta go to class, see you later Jooheon.” 

He knew that people were staring at them. Still, he wanted to annoy and embarrass his friend further. So he leaned down and planted a quick kiss on his friend’s cheek. The blonde ran away, laughing maniacally as he heard Jooheon yelling obscenities after him. Why was his adorable friend such a delight to tease?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alligator killed me but I came back to life just to post so you are welcome. So... Shownu will be a thing in this fic eventually I promise. Just remember that good things come to those who wait. Happy comeback! - Jay


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! Enjoy, this one was fun to write. - Jay

“You do believe what you believe. But I believe that he believed.”

The professor’s voice rang throughout the classroom, but Minhyuk was lost. He had no idea what the teacher was talking about, but he did know that the word believe was being used a lot. His previous class had been uneventful, and he had lost interest in this one, only tuning in once in a while. He tried paying attention again, only to zone out when the professor started to compare a car dealership to a mini cult. What even was this class?

Minhyuk’s phone let out a small buzz as it vibrated on the desk. The blonde’s briefly closed eyes fluttered open at the familiar sound. He had received a text from his landlord.

_**Mr. Kim Youjin:**  
Minhyuk ssi, I met the boy who you messaged and showed him the house. I gave him a key and he will probably be there when you get home today. He seemed satisfied with everything except your mess, so I told him you would make an effort to be cleaner. Do not make me a liar. Your new roommate will sign the contract next week after making up his mind. Tell me if there are any issues on your end and we can try to fix them, but I hope he works out._

Minhyuk smiled softly, ignoring the insult about his cleanliness. Although he had only met the landlord a few times, he was a reasonable and trustworthy middle-aged man. The blonde couldn't be happier about the prospect of having his own personal live-in bug killer.

His smile disappeared as he read the next text.

_**Mr. Kim Yunjin:**  
Also, I’m not sure why there was tape on the door to the basement, but that’s dangerous and frankly just odd. So I removed it._

“No!” Minhyuk yelled. The class fell silent as everyone turned to the back of the classroom to look at him.

“Mr. Lee, while you seem to be opposed to hugs as much as I am, can you try to keep your exclamations to yourself from now on?”

Pushing aside his confusion about the odd lecture topic, Minhyuk mumbled an embarrassed apology. But he just learned the giant mutant spider had free reign of his house. He was sure his classmates would be on his side if they knew the reason for his outburst.

~~

The blonde rushed out of class the second it finished. He shot Jooheon a quick text, saying he wouldn’t be joining the younger for their biweekly video game sessions as he was going straight home to meet his new roommate.

Minhyuk buttoned up his red woven jacket as he walked quickly to his house, face becoming slightly pink from the cold March wind. To an outsider, he may have looked like he was trying to enter the Olympics for speed walking. The blonde swivelled his hips and swung his arms sporadically. He accepted the odd way he might look, but was too anxious to get home.

The nervous boy arrived at his door in record time, before pausing in front of it. He briefly considered knocking to avoid any awkward first encounters, but decided against it and brought the key out of his pocket. The boy noted an odd rumbling noise that could be heard from the hallway, but Minhyuk wasn’t sure where it was coming from.

As Minhyuk opened the door, he realized that the noise was coming from his apartment. He cautiously stepped inside and slowly took off his shoes. He noticed the sound was vaguely like that of a vacuum. The boy made a mental note to bribe Jooheon into vacuuming his house, as he hadn’t done it since he moved in. He was pretty sure he didn’t own a vacuum, so what could his roommate be doing? 

The blonde stepped into his small living room, feeling inexplicably anxious. A million thoughts ran through his head. What if Jooheon was right? Maybe he shouldn’t have allowed a stranger into his house. What was this loud, menacing sound? 

The usually upbeat boy became timid as he peered around his house. He then realized the sound was actually coming from a vacuum he had never seen before. Maneuvering the machine around the kitchen floor was a boy with pink hair, who looked quite a bit shorter than Minhyuk. The stranger was facing away from the blonde, focused on his task of vacuuming the corners thoroughly.

Thinking that he should make his presence known, Minhyuk raised his voice over the noise nervously. “Ummm, excuse me?”

The pink haired boy jumped slightly at the voice that brought him out of his work. His head whipped around to settle his gaze on the source. 

The stranger’s annoyed expression only enhanced his sharp facial features. He had a defined jaw and piercing eyes that contrasted his fluffy light pink hair and small stature. Minhyuk would have thought the boy was rather attractive. But he found himself scared out of his wits by the sassy expression he was currently on the receiving end of. The shorter boy turned off the vacuum and swiftly set it on the ground, turning his whole body to give Minhyuk a quick once over. The blonde couldn’t help but feel like he was being inspected and stood awkwardly still. The taller boy forcefully reverted back to his normal self as he gave the boy a big smile and a polite 90-degree bow.

“Hello, my name is Lee Minhyuk. It's nice to meet you and I hope we can get along.” He said cheerfully, voice coming out a little louder than intended because of his nerves.

The boy returned the bow politely, but still had a harsh expression as he unenthusiastically introduced himself. “I’m Kihyun. I wish you would clean the house once in a while.”

Minhyuk’s smile faltered slightly at the boy’s bluntness, and the fact that he was speaking informally. Minhyuk knew that he himself could be loud and annoying, but he didn’t consider himself to be rude. At least not at first. 

Kihyun seemed to be observant, expression softening slightly and tearing his harsh gaze away from Minhyuk. The shorter boy looked awkwardly around the room and gave a small cough to try and cut the tension. "I mean...uh...the landlord mentioned that we are the same age. So I thought we could just speak casually to each other, to...you know maybe be less awkward. But uh… maybe that wasn't the best idea. And about the cleaning thing. I'm a bit obsessive about it and I just really wanted to get this apartment looking better before he came, so..." Suddenly Kihyun’s expression changed and Minhyuk noticed something new in the boy’s eyes. Vulnerability.

Being the sap that he was, Minhyuk immediately forgave the rude boy and swiftly ran to his side. The taller boy put on his biggest smile as he smoothly linked their arms together. The blonde was slightly surprised at how the stranger didn't resist. But then he saw that Kihyun’s eyes still looked apologetic.

"Look. It's no big deal. It's cool, really. I'm good with informal. I was just caught off guard. But I'm good with whatever… Kihyun." Minhyuk said nonchalantly, silently hoping the boy would go back to nagging him. Even though they were still strangers, he hated seeing the pink haired boy with an expression that resembled anything similar to sadness.

"Thanks." Kihyun said softly, returning a small smile. He awkwardly unlinked their arms before taking a small step away. It was only then that Minhyuk registered something the shorter boy had said before.

"Wait, who's coming?" At the confused look he received, he continued. "You said you were trying to clean before he came. Whose he?"

"Ah." Kihyun looked away and laughed awkwardly "About that." Another forced laugh. "I'm actually not your roommate. My friend is. But he doesn't know it. Not yet anyway. It's a surprise, so I was trying to make the place look nice for him."

"Wait what!?" Minhyuk yelled louder than he meant to. The blonde couldn't help it. The pink haired boy’s laughter and obvious attempt at trying to be casual didn't work. He had absolutely no idea what was happening. "But the person I was talking to... and the person my landlord met was...?"

"Me, yes. It's my account on the site. I told your landlord that I wasn't the one that would be living here, that's why a contract hasn't been signed yet. My friend is coming later tonight though. I told him I found him a possible place to live. I didn't want to freak you out, so I didn't tell you."

The blonde had regained his composure, but was still confused. "Ok, but why go through all this for him?"

The pink haired boy looked to the ground and Minhyuk saw a hint of guilt in his eyes. "Well, see, it's kind of my fault he needs to look for a new place to live. I found his last appartement online and it was such a good deal I contacted the building owner and set up everything. I've known this friend for a long time and he's pretty chill, so he just goes along with whatever I tell him to." Kihyun started to nervously pick at a loose thread on his oversized sweater as he continued. "So he lived there for a while. But then, last week the apartment building's owner was arrested for making illegal contracts. So technically no one is actually allowed to live there. She’s under investigation now and everyone in the building was kicked out. My friend has been living with me, but my boyfriend just moved in and our apartment is pretty small. So I decided to find my best friend the perfect apartment." He concluded with determination, once again meeting Minhyuk’s eyes.

"Well..." Minhyuk couldn't lie. This whole situation was rather odd and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. After being caught in this strange predicament, his former opinion about not caring who he roomed with as long as they killed bugs was forgotten.

Before the blonde could articulate his apprehension, Kihyun quickly walked towards him and desperately took both of Minhyuk’s hands in his own. He met the taller boy’s gaze with pleading eyes. "Please Minhyuk! You will like him, I promise! He's quiet and kind and the best person ever." Still sensing his hesitation, the pink haired boy added frantically, “And he can kill all the bugs!"

Minhyuk broke out into a smile. "So you did read my condition."

"I mean, there was only one."

Both boys laughed as they visibly relaxed and released each other's hands. 

"Ok. I won't make any promises. But I'll meet your friend tonight and we can decide. Sound good?"

All the desperation and vulnerability seemed to disappear from Kihyun’s face and was replaced with a soft, smug smile. "Deal. Now hurry up, we have lots of cleaning to do before he gets here."

Minhyuk groaned, but felt an odd urge to comply. "Fine. Also why did you bring your own vacuum?"

The blonde was met with a questioning look. "This is yours? It was in the closet by the kitchen."

"Oh right. The landlord said cleaning supplies were in there, so I never opened it."

Kihyun face palmed as Minhyuk picked up the vacuum, laughing. The two boys proceeded to clean the house, more or less. While there was a lot of complaining from a certain blonde, they were a good team and made swift work of the chores. As he enjoyed their banter, Minhyuk couldn't help but feel bittersweet that his roommate had to be someone different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos and comments they make me so happy! - Jay


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! Enjoy - Jay

Minhyuk flopped onto the couch dramatically. He sprawled out and hung his head off the edge, peering upside down at Kihyun in the kitchen. He was almost sad the pink haired boy wouldn’t be his new roommate. Even though he nagged and forced the blonde to clean, it was slightly endearing. They had engaged in playful banter as they swept and vacuumed the apartment. Minhyuk wasn’t exactly sure why he did everything the shorter boy told him to. But something about being with Kihyun felt comfortable and natural. Also, he was procrastinating on writing a paper and would rather do anything else.

It seemed Kihyun had brought groceries with him. Minhyuk’s beer had been pushed to the back and his fridge was now filled with fruit, vegetables and protein drinks. The previously empty appliance now looked like it belonged to a family of five. When the taller boy offered money, Kihyun refused. He called it a gift, compensation for lying. Although the blonde’s heart swelled from the kindness, the sharp-jawed boy assured he was doing it out of love for his friend, not for Minhyuk.

The pink haired boy glanced at him on his way to the fridge. He let out a short, airy laugh seeing Minhyuk upside down. The blonde gave him a cute smile, feeling the blood rush to his head.

The hamster-like boy closed the fridge door and set down the retrieved vegetables. With pursed lips, he put his hands on his hips. “Have you finished dusting?” He asked sternly, although his eyes sparkled with something that resembled fondness. Then again, Minhyuk was looking at him upside down and could have been mistaken.

“Yes!” The blonde answered brightly. “Can I be done now?”

Kihyun snorted as he started chopping a green onion. He looked at Minhyuk like a proud mother, but his voice retained a teasing tone. “Yes, you can be done. Now go fix yourself up. You look like a mess and your new roommate will be here in a half hour. You want to make a good first impression, don’t you? Or do you want to continue living in your spider infested house alone?” 

“Is there a reason you won’t tell me his name?” The boy sat up quickly, making himself slightly dizzy.

Kihyun smirked. “Not really, just giving him an air of mystery. I want the first time you hear it to be when he introduces himself.”

Minhyuk rolled his eyes. “You’re so weird.” But he didn’t press the subject. A name was just a name. If Kihyun wanted to think he was being funny, then who was he to stand in the way of that?

The taller boy began to happily skip to his room, thinking of what he should wear. Kihyun’s opinion that he should impress his new roommate was starting to rub off on him. It was then that he passed by the door to the basement. A sudden light went off in his brain and he froze. “Kihyun!” Minhyuk cried out, drawing out the name. His voice sounded extremely frightened, however the shorter boy already seemed to be able to handle the blonde’s dramatics.

“What?” He called unenthusiastically, focus remaining on the vegetable.

Minhyuk spun on his heels and ran back to the kitchen. With a small squeal, the blonde skidded to a stop and threw his arms around the boy’s middle.

The pink haired boy stopped his task, tensing from the embrace. “Minhyuk, I’m not sure what’s wrong with you, but I am a taken man. Also, I’m holding a knife.”

The taller boy ignored his threat and clung tighter, hiding his face in the pink haired boy’s chest. Seeming to sense that something was actually wrong, Kihyun set down the weapon. He broke out of the blonde’s arms and turned to face him. Under the shorter boy’s glare, Minhyuk started to make a lot of frenzied hand motions. Kihyun shook his head in annoyance. “Oh my god, just spit it out you lunatic.”

“The spider! It’s free! The tape is off and now it’s somewhere in here and it’s gonna eat me! Oh Kihyun I’m so scared!” Minkyuk’s voice had become an octave higher in his distress as he spoke quickly. The blonde pulled the shorter boy into another hug, holding his shoulders tightly and resting his head on soft pink hair. He could feel the boy tense up again and wondered why he was dealing with him so well.

He felt Kihyun release a big sigh as he stepped out of his clutches, gently taking both of Minhyuk’s large hands. “Minhyuk,” he started calmly, “don’t worry. After seeing your profile on the website, I figured there was a reason for the tape. When we went to look at the basement, I saw the spider and killed it. So relax and get yourself ready for dinner.”

The big smile that broke out on the blonde’s face quickly disappeared with another thought. “But how do you know there was only one? Was it the same thing I saw? Was it almost as big as my head? Did it look like it was about to charge?”

Kihyun gave a lopsided smirk. “Sure.”

“Oh, ok then! Thanks Kihyunnie!” With that, the blonde pulled him into a quick hug before running away, resuming his worries about what to wear.

Minhyuk galloped into his room and glanced at his phone that had been carelessly thrown on the bed. The blonde realized he should probably tell Jooheon that he wasn’t murdered by ‘Mr. Angry Hamster’. Unsurprisingly, he picked up the phone to find 55 texts and 7 missed calls from the red haired boy. Minhyuk gave a laugh and sent a quick message. He found his friend amusing, yet still felt slightly sorry for worrying him. 

_**To: My Heony**  
Hey jh, im fine dw. Rmmate isnt here but his cute hamster friend is… Long story. Ttyl real rmmate is comin soon. Luv ya! ^^_

Feeling satisfied that the text would be enough to calm his friend, the blonde tossed his phone back onto the bed.

~~

“Well? How do I look?” Minhyuk did a little spin, showing off the clothes he changed into. After much debate, the blonde settled on plain blue jeans. He paired them with a light brown sweater, just oversized enough to give him cute sweater paws. The choice was an attempt to look friendly and adorable, while still appearing like he was chill and cool. Definitely not like he spent 10 minutes styling his hair. He had carefully crossed each strand on his head, bangs delicately falling just passed his eyebrows. Kihyun turned around, just finishing frying the rice, and raised an eyebrow at the taller boy. Minhyuk gave a big smile, trying his best to exude strong enough happy vibes to reach the other boy.

It seemed to work. A small grin spread on the shorter boy’s face as he nodded approvingly. “That should be sufficiently appropriate.”

“Thank you?”

“You’re welcome.” Kihyun ignored his questioning tone and started plating the rice. Minhyuk made his way into the kitchen cautiously. The taller boy had been ordered out of the kitchen and was told to leave the cooking to Kihyun.

Minhyuk attempted to steal a piece of kimbap from the top of the pile, only for his hand to be smacked away when the pink haired boy suddenly appeared at his side. Just as the blonde was about to complain of his immense hunger, there was a knock on the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's finally heeeeeeerrrrrreeeeee??? - Jay


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry for long wait but here is the next chapter so Yay!

Minhyuk froze, feeling his stomach churn. Why on earth was he so nervous? Getting scared about pointless things was Joohoen’s specialty, not his. Kihyun seemed to sense his anxiety, suddenly putting a comforting hand on the blonde’s shoulder and speaking calmly. “You stay here, I’ll get the door.” The taller boy nodded, feeling his throat dry up. “And please breathe. You need to live, my friend can’t afford to pay the full rent,” he added cheekily, gliding to the entrance way.

Minhyuk took a deep breath, unable to move from behind the counter. He heard Kihyun open the door and exclaim, “Surprise! Welcome home hyung!” The blonde heard no response, only the pink haired boy’s rambling. “Hyung, come on in, I just finished cooking. I think you’ll really like the place. You have a week to decide, then you just have to sign the contract. Your roommate is here too. He’s loud and annoying, but I think you two will get along...”

Minhyuk became aware of Kihyun’s voice getting louder as slow footsteps approached. Fighting his urge to hide proved to be difficult, as he stood with his arms stiffly at his sides.

That’s when the two boys walked into the kitchen. Before even looking at the stranger’s face, Minhyuk noted that he was a lot taller than Kihyun. The stranger had dark brown hair that was styled up, out of his face. His new roommate looked around curiously, not seeming to notice him. Kihyun had his arm linked with his friend, and the blonde could hear the buzz of his voice rambling about the great price and location. 

But he wasn’t really listening.

Minhyuk was too busy staring at the new face. He had handsome features, from his tanned skin to his small brown eyes. Yet his expression was very…neutral? It was neither a smile, nor a scowl. Not off-putting, but also not welcoming. The boy had broad shoulders and was wearing a fitted white dress shirt that showed off his muscular arms. Yet there seemed to be an air of awkwardness surrounding him. Minhyuk himself never had a problem with being awkward, and claimed on more than one occasion to be immune to it. But the tension from the stranger was palpable, and Minhyuk found himself feeling slightly uncomfortable. It also made him unable to enjoy looking at the handsome face in front of him as much as he would have liked.

The blonde was still studying the stranger’s features when he was met with deep brown eyes boring into his own. Minhyuk was sure his own expression was dumbfounded, and he hoped it was as unreadable as the boy he was looking at. Even though they were standing a few feet from each other, the brown haired boy’s eyes were bright and clear. There was a seriousness in them, yet also a strange warmth that was difficult to place. He wasn’t sure how long they stared silently, but he couldn’t tear his gaze away. Only Kihyun’s voice brought him out of the depths of the muscular boy’s eyes. 

Minhyuk gave his head a shake and turned to the pink haired boy, aware of the stranger still staring at him. “What did you say, Kihyun?”

The shorter boy shot him an annoyed look. Minhyuk couldn’t tell if it was because he was already used to the blonde not listening to him, or if he knew why the taller boy didn’t hear him. “I said, introduce yourselves.” Minhyuk only stared at the pink haired boy, having an internal conflict over how exactly he should go about greeting his soon-to-be roommate. He was brought out of his worries by a soft, low voice coming from the person still attached to Kihyun’s arm. 

“I’m Hyunwoo.” The boy’s gaze shifted to the ground as he spoke. His voice was not very loud, but it seemed to demand attention from anyone listening. Still, there was the ever-present awkwardness that Minhyuk couldn’t shake from his mind.

The blonde was still staring at Hyunwoo when he realized he should probably return the greeting. Minhyuk shook away his daze and immediately returned to the cute and happy person he normally was. He put on a smile that shone bright enough to light up the room. He tried to exude happiness and positivity, hoping it would work as well as it did on Kihyun earlier.

“Hi there! I’m Minhyuk. It’s super duper nice to meet you!” Minhyuk said as brightly as possible. He heard Kihyun scoff at his personality change, but he didn't care. After all, he was returning to his normal self after a momentary lapse. The blonde wasn’t sure what made him falter, but he didn’t dwell on it, focusing on his shining smile.

The three boys stood awkwardly without a word, while Hyunwoo continued to look around. Minhyuk was unsure if he was just extremely curious, or purposely avoiding the blonde’s eyes. Kihyun was looking between them, scowling in obvious disappointment that the meeting wasn’t going as smoothly as he hoped. And then there was Minhyuk, smiling like an idiot, eyes fixated on Hyunwoo.

Kihyun gave a cough and clapped his hands together, breaking everyone out of whatever trance they were in. “Well, dinner’s ready. Hyunwoo hyung, why don’t you sit down at the tiny table in the living room. Minhyuk, would you be a dear and help me in the kitchen please?” Minhyuk sensed the fake, overly polite tone that was slightly scary coming from Kihyun. Hyunwoo seemed to catch it too, as he quickly strode to the table without a word. 

The blonde joined the pink haired boy in the kitchen. “Kihyun.” He whispered urgently, careful not to raise his voice. If he spoke in a normal volume, he would be heard by Hyunwoo in the next room. 

“What?” Kihyun whispered back. Minhyuk concluded that either the other boy was following his example, or he was trying not to be heard as well. The blonde finally took in the expression of the other boy, who was flitting around the kitchen getting plates. He looked anxious, like something was worrying him. Forgetting his own troubles, Minhyuk asked, still in a whisper, “Hey are you ok? You look stressed.”

Kihyun scoffed. “I’m always stressed. But I guess I just want Hyunwoo hyung to like the apartment. And I thought since we got along right away, you guys would too but…” Kihyun trailed off and came closer to Minhyuk, lowering his voice even more, “He’s being really weird.”

“So he’s not usually this awkward?” Minhyuk asked hopefully.

“Oh no, he totally is. But I don’t know…something’s off. Maybe he just had a bad day at work.”

Minhyuk nodded understandingly. The fact that even Kihyun didn’t know what was wrong bothered him slightly, but he decided it was nothing they could control. All he could do was be himself and hope his sunshine charm would do it’s magic.

“Hey Kihyun?” Minhyuk whispered again.

The pink haired boy was now pouring water into three glasses. “What?” He responded in an annoyed whisper.

Minhyuk smiled, “You said we get along. Does that mean we’re friends?”

Kihyun looked up at him. “Oh shut up.” Minhyuk laughed, noticing the shorter boy trying to hide a smile. He was happy to make a new friend. 

“Do you guys need any help in there?” Hyunwoo called from the table, out of their line of vision. Minhyuk was sure that it was meant to be a yell, but the volume was more akin to the blonde’s own speaking level.

“No, we’re coming!” The pink haired boy called cheerfully. Minhyuk thought that Kihyun must like this friend a lot, noticing how his tone always changed when he addressed him. Without a word, the shorter boy picked up the plates of rice and kimbap. He gestured his head to a drawer, the instruction clear. Before Minhyuk could wonder how the shorter boy knew where he kept the chopsticks, he obediently grabbed the utensils and water before following him to the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Just wanted to say a big thank you for the support. This is my first fic and it means so much. My editor, Kay, is very busy so the next few chapters may be unbetaed but I will do my best to go through them. While you wait, read and comment on all our other fics! haha ALSO I know I promised Shownu and then I make him say 3 words haha more is coming! Thank you all so much for reading! - Jay


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! Hope you enjoy! - Jay

Dinner was awkward. There was no other way to describe it. They had only just sat down, yet Minhyuk already wanted to run away. The three boys ate in silence, before the blonde couldn’t take it any longer.

“The food tastes really good Kihyun!" Minhyuk commented cheerfully, slightly bouncing in his chair.

Kihyun raised an eyebrow, like he knew the taller boy was trying to cut the tension. Minhyuk didn't know if he loved or hated how the pink haired boy was able to see through him. To his surprise, a genuine smile appeared on the shorter boy's face. "Thank you, Minhyuk. My friends always compliment my cooking, but I think they’re just trying to flatter me so I won't stop. It's nice having someone new like my food."

Hyunwoo, who had not looked up during the exchange, stopped eating. "You guys are speaking informally," he stated. While Minhyuk didn't know how to respond, he was thankful Kihyun did.

"We're the same age. And we get along really well.” Kihyun turned to the blonde and took advantage of Hyunwoo not looking to widen his eyes and emphasize, "Like, super, super well. He's so nice and easy to get along with, especially with people like me." The pink haired boy spoke the last part slowly, obviously trying to convey a secret meaning to Minhyuk.

The taller boy stared in confusion, until a light bulb went off in his head. He gave a little bounce in his chair again and turned to Hyunwoo on his left. "Oh yes, me and Kihyun only just met today, but we just clicked ya know? He may be rude and a neatfreak and nag a lot and make jokes that aren't funny and-"

"Minhyuk!" Kihyun interrupted harshly.

The blonde giggled. "Anyway, if I can get along with Kihyun, I can get along with anyone." He paused before adding, "Especially someone who is also his friend." Minhyuk smiled, proud of himself for catching on. If Hyunwoo realized that they were friends, maybe he would make more of an effort.

‘Subtle’ Kihyun mouthed at him. The blonde only smiled wider before turning to Hyunwoo expectantly. 

The brown haired boy finally looked up from his food. “Don’t you usually put carrots and cucumbers in your kimbab?” Minhyuk’s face fell in disappointment as Hyunwoo directed his question to Kihyun.

The pink haired boy’s smile didn’t falter as he maintained eye contact with his friend. “Well,” He gave an airy laugh, and daintily covered his mouth as he chewed. “I was informed that Minhyuk hates cucumbers. So out of the goodness of my heart, I omitted them. And the carrots, well…” He glanced to Minhyuk, a teasing smirk on his face. The blonde shook his head furiously. Kihyun better not throw him under the bus. The last thing he needed was for Hyunwoo to think he was incompetent in the kitchen. He was, of course, but that wasn't the issue at hand. The pink haired boy’s expression turned sympathetic as he nodded slowly in understanding. Minhyuk breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he was in the clear.

“Minhyuk burned them,” Kihyun deadpanned.

“Yoo Kihyun!” Minhyuk whined loudly, shocked at the betrayal.

“What? It’s the truth!” Kihyun laughed, smiling so wide the edges of his eyes crinkled.

Minhyuk gave the boy a light smack on the shoulder. “Well, you didn’t have to tell him. I’m trying to make a good impression! Also, they weren’t totally burnt. You could have used them. It’s not my fault you’re picky. Like who actually burns carrots so bad they’re inedible?”

“Apparently you do.” Kihyun rubbed his shoulder dramatically, still smiling.

“It’s impossible to burn carrots while pan grilling them,” the blonde retorted with a pout, trying to hide his own smile.

“Minhyuk, they turned black.”

Before the blonde could defend his honour, he heard a soft laugh. He had momentarily forgotten that Hyunwoo was there, too caught up in the banter with his new friend. Kihyun stopped laughing and both boys turned to the elder questioningly. 

Hyunwoo's previously stoic expression had disappeared, making him look like a completely different person. He was smiling as he giggled, revealing a row of shiny white teeth. The brunette’s eyes had become small crescents and he suddenly appeared soft and friendly. Hyunwoo finally looked to the blonde, and the sight had Minhyuk smiling back. 

"What?" Kihyun asked defensively.

Hyunwoo giggled again, tearing his eyes from Minhyuk’s and suddenly looking shy. "Nothing," he said, giving another small laugh, the melodic low sound filling the room. The blonde saw Kihyun raise an eyebrow, obviously not satisfied with the answer. "It's just..." The elder's giggle now sounded nervous as he glanced between the other two. "You guys are cute," he commented, crescent eyes somehow getting smaller as he smiled. Minhyuk’s heart swelled, and he realized that he wanted to give his new roommate a chance. If this was how he looked when he wasn't being a giant ball of awkward, then the blonde was willing to be his friend.

"Well," Kihyun started, trying to maintain his cheeky persona, but obviously not expecting the compliment. "You already know I’m adorable. And I suppose Minhyuk can be slightly endearing."

Minhyuk snorted. "Gee thanks."

Kihyuns face broke into a smile and all three boys glanced at each other before laughing together. With the sound, Minhyuk felt some of the awkwardness disappear and breathed a sigh of relief.

They all turned back to their delicious meal and dinner was finished without another word. But this time, the silence was comfortable. Minhyuk had forgotten what it was like to not be alone in his apartment and found himself enjoying the company.

~~

After dinner, Minhyuk felt another shift. That wasn't right. How did it become awkward again when they were fine during dinner? He noticed it when they both handed their dishes to Kihyun. The pink haired boy had volunteered to clean up, making it clear it was a one-time thing. The other two strolled to the living room, which is where Minhyuk realized Hyunwoo was a bit taller than him. Said boy was looking around the room again, avoiding eye contact.

“Um,” Minhyuk decided to break the silence. “I can show you your room, if you want? It’s furnished and Kihyun already put some of your stuff in there,” the blonde offered with a smile.

“Sure.” The brown haired boy finally looked at him. “But first...” His eyebrows furrowed together slightly as he looked around. “Where’s the washroom?”

“Oh, it’s straight down the hall and on the left.” Minhyuk responded brightly, pointing a hand in his best impression of a tour guide.

Hyunwoo only nodded before walking away. Once gone, the blonde scurried back into the kitchen and slid to the sink beside Kihyun. “What do you want?” He asked harshly, not looking up from the dishes he was cleaning.

Minhyuk pouted, leaning on the counter to try to get in the shorter boy’s line of vision. “You upset me Kihyunnie. Why would you ever think I would want something?”

“I’ve only known you for a few hours, but you are extremely predictable. At least to me.” The pink haired boy laughed and stuck out his tongue. “So tell me.” His expression softened as he set down the cloth and turned to face his new friend. “What’s the problem?”

The blonde jutted his bottom lip out further, fully knowing how adorable he looked. “I dunno if I can do it, Ki. I just don’t click with Hyunwoo like I do with you.”

“Hyunwoo hyung.” The pink haired boy corrected, before placing a comforting hand on the taller boy’s shoulder. “I know he’s awkward, but things got better at dinner, didn’t they?”

“They did, but just now it got really awkward again. I felt it,” Minhyuk whined.

“Maybe you’re the awkward one?” The shorter boy suggested with a shrug.

“You saw him. You saw how hard I’m trying. Can you really think it’s me?” The blonde sassed. “You said so yourself that he was being weird.”

The shorter boy’s hand dropped from his shoulder with an airy laugh. “I know, it’s totally him. Maybe don’t try so hard? Just be friendly and approachable, and he’ll come to you eventually. Y’know...like a cat.”

Minhyuk grimaced. “I’m not really the biggest fan of cats. Maybe we don’t have to be friends though. I mean we can just live together right? Between school and work, I might not even be home often.”

The pink haired boy’s smile disappeared. “No Minhyuk. It will work out. I don’t want you guys to just live together. I want you to be friends. I didn’t think that way before, I thought I could just find him a place to stay. But then I met you, Minhyuk.” He placed both hands on the blonde’s shoulders when met with a questioning look.

“What changed?” The taller boy asked innocently.

Kihyun gave a soft smile. “I think you could be good for him.”

Before he could ask for clarification, the shorter boy suddenly dropped his arms and grabbed his phone from the counter. After checking the screen, he looked back up to Minhyuk apologetically. “My lazy boyfriend is hungry, so I have to go. At least give it a couple of days, ok? I’m sure you guys will become friends in no time.”

“You made us dinner and have to go home to cook for him? Just tell him to order pizza or something.”

The pink haired boy laughed. “Thanks for worrying about me, but I made an extra kimbap roll for him.” He replied, grabbing something on the counter wrapped in tinfoil.

“One roll will be enough?” 

“For Chae Hyungwon? Half a roll would be enough. He doesn’t eat much. I’ll just wait for Hyunwoo hyung to get out of the bathroom, then I’ll leave.” The shorter boy turned to gather his possessions.

“Wait.” Minhyuk caught his wrist with both hands, eyes pleading. “Do you really have to leave, Kihyun? I may die from awkwardness.”

The pink haired boy snorted, easily breaking his arm free. “You’ll be fine. You’re so dramatic.” The blonde pouted, but knew it was no use. In his peripheral vision, Minhyuk saw a figure approaching and turned to see Hyunwoo looking at them curiously. The shorter boy smiled at his friend. “Hyung! I was just saying goodbye. I have to leave, Hyungwon thinks he’s hungry.”

Hyunwoo nodded in understanding. “Ok, I’ll be by tomorrow after work to pick up more of my things.”

Kihyun padded up to his friend, giving him a quick hug. “I’ll be off then. You two behave.” Minhyuk saw the boy lean in and whisper something in the brown haired boy’s ear, but couldn’t hear what was said. Whatever it was, it made Hyunwoo giggle cutely as he nodded again. “It was nice meeting you Minhyuk, I’ll see you around.” Kihyun gave a wave before going to the entrance, quickly slipping on his shoes and leaving with another shouted goodbye.

The pink haired boy left so quickly that the other two hadn’t even moved from their previous spots. Hyunwoo was looking at his phone now, and Minhyuk was just staring at his new roommate awkwardly.

Now there was no Kihyun. Now they were alone. Just the two of them and their awkwardness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Experiencing some writers block on chapter 13 please comment to give me motivation uwu. Also come yell at me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/monrohaJay) to inspire me. - Jay


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! I hope you enjoy it! - Jay

“So…” Minhyuk decided to break the silence yet again. “Your room?”

The taller boy put his phone in his pocket and gave the blonde an awkward smile, “Sure.”

The younger led the way down the hall. He knew he didn’t need to escort Hyunwoo around the small apartment. He didn’t need to give him a grand tour of a room that was only occupied by a bed and desk. He was sure that the elder knew this too. And yet he followed, neither of them stating the obvious. 

When they approached the room, Minhyuk stepped aside to allow the older boy to enter first. “After you,” he chirped happily, with a grandiose hand flourish. Hyunwoo gave a slightly strained smile as he passed, but it quickly disappeared. Minhyuk followed closely behind, glancing around as he entered. Earlier in the day, Kihyun had taken the task of setting up the room with some of Hyunwoo’s things. The bed was covered with a simple grey quilt and various personal knickknacks were placed on the desk and nightstand. The younger directed his attention to the taller boy, who was looking around with an unreadable expression. 

“Do you like it hyung?” The blonde asked hopefully. “I know it’s small, but I think it’s ok for sleeping and studying. If you want to relax, you can claim the living room anytime.”

Hyunwoo suddenly turned back to meet the younger boy’s gaze. However he quickly looked away, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Oh...um...well..." he mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"Do you not like the room hyung?" The shorter boy asked, trying not to be genuinely disappointed about something he couldn't control.

"No it's not that. Um...you...uh."

Minhyuk tilted his head in confusion. "Is it because I called you hyung? Should I not do that? I thought it would be ok cuz you're older and I want to be friends," he chirped brightly.

"No no, you can," the brown haired boy spluttered out in a panic. "You can. I just wasn't expecting it, but I like it....Minhyuk."

The shorter boy smiled and had to stop himself from cooing. He couldn't deny that the elder was adorable when flustered. 

The brown haired boy coughed and sat on the edge of the bed, facing the younger. "I would like to be friends too," he said with an eye disappearing smile.

Minhyuk continued smiling when something on the desk caught his eye. “Oh hyung is this yours? Which group is this?” He walked over and picked up the small calendar to get a closer look. It looked like a male idol group, but Minhyuk didn’t recognize them.

The calendar was suddenly snatched from the blonde’s hands as the elder appeared at his side. Hyunwoo hid the item behind his back, looking embarrassed. “It’s nothing. It was a gift, and I needed a calendar.”

Amused, Minhyuk’s smile turn mischievous as he made to grab it back. He reached behind the elder who turned quickly to block him. The younger gave a playful pout as he whined, “Come on hyung, just lemme see. I won't make fun of you, promise. Besides, if it was just a gift then there’s no reason for you to be embarrassed, right?” He smirked as the elder considered his words. “Unless you are actually an obsessed fanboy, in that case you should keep hiding it-” His words were cut off as Hyunwoo shoved the item into his chest. The brown haired boy sat back on the bed with forced casualness. The younger boy gave a little laugh as he looked at the calendar triumphantly. He flipped through the pages, aware of the other boy watching him intently. While the idols in the pictures were very attractive and looked familiar, he resorted to looking at the cover for the group name.

“You like Infinite, hyung? I didn’t know they were still promoting to be honest.” The boy looked to the elder teasingly. “That’s cute though. Fanboys are rare, I’m honoured to meet one.”

The brown haired boy sighed, but his mouth curved up slightly “I told you, it was a gift. I was a fan of their dancing in like 2011 and my friends have never let me live it down. They buy me all the albums and make sure to get me a calendar every year.”

Minhyuk gave another laugh, loving this situation way too much. He strolled over to sit beside the taller boy, flipping to a group photo. “So who's your bias then?”

Minhyuk couldn’t tell if the elder was annoyed or amused as he looked to the blonde. They stared at each other for a moment, as Hyunwoo seemed to consider not answering. However, he eventually sighed in defeat and pointed to one of the idols. “I think Myungsoo is the best looking,” he pointed to another boy, “But Dongwoo is the nicest and the best dancer. I would want to be his friend.”

Minhyuk hummed and looked closer before frowning, “I don’t know Infinite that well but I really liked Be Mine. I thought the visual was called L?”

Hyunwoo nodded, his low voice now calm and comfortable. “His real name is Myungsoo.”

Minhyuk’s teasing smirk returned as he pointed an accusing finger. “See? You _are_ a fanboy! Only a fan’s reflex would be to call them by their real name.”

The brown haired boy’s eyes widened as he panicked slightly. “No, no. I used to kinda be a fan but not anymore.” Minhyuk gave a big laugh to show that he didn’t believe him. Hyunwoo got the hint as he motioned to grab the calendar again.

Minhyuk held it out to the side, out of the taller boy’s reach. “Wow hyung I was worried you hated me because you didn’t talk to me all evening. But you’re a chatterbox now. So I guess if I want you to talk, I just have to mention Infinite. Good to note.”

The blonde immediately regretted his words as Hyunwoo’s expression turned apologetic. “I’m sorry you thought I wasn’t talking to you on purpose, Minhyuk.” The elder’s voice suddenly became serious. 

The air around them turned tense and Minhyuk started to panic. They were joking and getting closer. He didn't want things to become excruciatingly awkward again. The shorter boy started to shake his head and was about to protest when their eyes locked again. Minhyuk found himself unable to speak or move as he realized just how close their faces were. Hyunwoo’s deep brown eyes bore into his and he found himself getting lost in them.

"Um. I should be getting to bed then." Minhyuk was brought out of his trance by the elder’s voice as they both looked away.

And it was back. The awkwardness was back.

The blonde glanced at the clock that read 8pm. The thought that Hyunwoo was just trying to get him out of the room hurt his feelings more than it should have. They had only met today, it's not like they were friends. Just when they would get comfortable, the awkwardness would return. He really did want to make this work. The elder seemed like a nice guy, despite the inexplicable tension between them. But he was sure they could get over it.

Just not tonight. It wasn't good to rush things. So the blonde nodded with a smile as he walked to the door. “Good night, hyung. I’ll see you tomorrow.” The younger turned to see the brown haired boy give a small wave before he left the room.

Minhyuk walked across the hallway into his own bedroom. As he sat on the bed, a wave of exhaustion suddenly hit him. Only now did he realized how stressful this whole event had been for him. Maybe going to bed at 8pm wasn’t such a bad idea. 

So the blonde changed into his pjs, text Jooheon a goodnight message and settled into bed. He hoped that the awkwardness that had plagued him and Hyunwoo would leave during the night. Tomorrow, they could start fresh and get on their way to being friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well it took me seven chapters but showhyuk finally interacted so yay! I'm sorry haha I am realizing how slow my style of writing is. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. Love you all thank you! - Jay


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! Enjoy~~~~ - Jay

Minhyuk awoke the next day to an alarm blaring in his ear. He lay there for a second, taking an odd comfort in the loud beeping of the clock. Closing his eyes, he mentally prepared himself for the day. His eyes suddenly shot open as he smacked the top of the alarm clock. The blonde was pretty sure his new roommate wouldn’t appreciate being woken up on a Saturday. Minhyuk slowly got out of bed, glancing at the time. It was 8:30. He sighed, knowing he had to be at work in a half hour. Luckily, the café was a short walking distance away. He saw no trace of Hyunwoo as the blonde quickly got ready and left the apartment.

~~

When Minhyuk finished work, he suddenly remembered that he wouldn’t be going home to an empty apartment. As he walked, he realized how many things remained unknown about his new roommate. He didn’t know where Hyunwoo worked or even what he was studying in school. He made a mental note to ask lots of questions to get to know the brunette better.

Minhyuk opened the door, slipped off his shoes and called into the house. “Hello? Hyung? Are you home?”

“In here.” Minhyuk heard the soft voice of the elder coming from the bedroom. The blonde threw his work bag on his own bed before skipping to the other’s room. He carefully opened the door to peek inside.

Similar to the previous day, Hyunwoo was wearing a fitted white dress shirt, paired with black dress pants with his hair gelled up. The elder was kneeling on the ground beside a suitcase filled with clothes. The shorter boy opened the door fully, making the brunette look up and reveal a small smile.

Mnhyuk smiled back as he leaned on the door. “How was your Saturday hyung?” The elder shifted to sit cross-legged as he looked up at the blonde.

“Pretty good,” he said simply before going back to folding his clothes.

The younger boy stood awkwardly for a second. “So, what did you do today?” He kept a cheerful tone and hoped he didn’t sound too nosy.

The elder looked at him with a slightly astonished expression. Minhyuk couldn’t decide if he was surprised to be asked about his day or shocked that the blonde didn’t take the hint to leave. But the look turned back to a neutral smile, “I just worked today. Normally on Saturdays I’m there from 10 til close, but they let me off at 5 today. I stopped at Kihyun’s to get some of my stuff and came back about a half hour ago.”

Minhyuk hummed in response, suddenly feeling the need to look at the ground. He expected to be asked the same question in return, but he supposed Hyunwoo was just shy or stressed from moving

“Did you eat?”

“What?” Minhyuk snapped out of his thoughts as his head shot up from the ground. 

“Have you eaten dinner?” The elder asked again, a sudden look of soft concern on his face. The blonde smiled and shook his head. Now that he thought about it, it was 6:30 and he had only eaten half a sandwich for lunch.

The elder frowned, “I was really hungry when I came home so I ate already. But there are still leftovers from Kihyun’s cooking yesterday for you to eat. I’m sorry, I should have waited.”

The younger boy waved his hands frantically in protest, “No hyung it’s ok, you didn’t even know when I was going to be home. We don’t always have to eat together anyway.” The blonde paused as a look of hurt passed over the sitting boy’s face before continuing, “Besides, I’m used to eating by myself.” Minhyuk scratched his wrist, suddenly wondering if he made it seem like he didn’t want to eat with the older boy. “Do you need help unpacking hyung?” he asked, taking a step toward the suitcase.

Hyunwoo shook his head, eyes turning into crescents. “I’m fine. You eat. You must be hungry. I’ll finish up here then maybe we could… watch TV or something?” The last part was said cautiously, like he was afraid the blonde would reject him.

Minhyuk gave him a smile, trying to look reassuring “Sure, TV sounds good.” The blonde’s cheeks were starting to hurt from all the smiling. As Hyunwoo returned to unpacking, the shorter boy slipped out of the room, intent on finding something to eat.

~~

Stuffing the last bite of fried rice into his mouth, the blonde sighed happily. He wondered if he could convince Kihyun to cook for him again. Realizing he didn’t have the pink haired boy’s number to pester him, he made a note to ask Hyunwoo for it. The blonde sighed again. He didnt even have his roommate's phone number yet. He hated to admit it, but as much as he wanted to be liked, he was prideful and stubborn. He decided to wait until the brunette asked for his number first.

At that moment, his new roommate strolled into the kitchen. Minhyuk gave a little wave that went unnoticed as the elder opened the fridge. The younger boy noticed that he had changed into a loose black tee and sweatpants. “Hyung,” Minhyuk called sweetly. The brown haired boy looked over and smiled. The blonde noted that he liked how Hyunwoo’s whole face became softer with the change of expression. “Can you grab me a coke please?” The older boy nodded and pulled the familiar red can out of the fridge. The brunette set the can in front of the shorter boy before taking a seat across from him.

“Thank you,” Minhyuk chirped before taking a big sip of the carbonated drink. When he looked back at Hyunwoo, he was met with an expression that looked almost fond. His soft eyes contrasted with his harsh arched brows as he observed the blonde drinking. Minhyuk tried to save the situation from getting awkward by giggling. “I really like Coke. It’s my favourite drink. Well, my favourite drink with dinner. I really like café lattes too. The café where I work has really good lattes…or any caffeinated drink. And it’s super close by so if you want coffee at anytime you should go there. Oh and there’s a Mr. Pizza right next door. I love pizza, it’s my favourite food. If you ever want me to bring home a pizza after work I will.” Minhyuk ended his ramblings with a hopeful look. Perhaps by sharing a couple things about himself, Hyunwoo would do the same.

“I see,” The elder mused thoughtfully before standing up from the table. “Should we watch some TV before bed?”

Minhyuk tried to hide his disappointment as he nodded. Maybe he just had to accept the fact that Hyunwoo didn’t want to tell him anything about himself.

The shorter boy followed the elder into the living room. Hyunwoo already sat down on the edge of the small couch. Even though it was built for two people, the blonde purposely squished himself against the armrest on the other side, leaving lots of room between them. 

Usually the shorter boy loved cuddling up to his friends. But he couldn’t do that. Hyunwoo wasn’t his friend. Minhyuk tried not to frown as he realized that if the elder didn’t want to be friends then he couldn’t force it. Usually, the blonde possessed the ability to annoy someone until they gave up and accepted him. But something about Hyunwoo made him doubt that particular talent. And maybe that disappointed him more than it should. 

"What do you want to watch?" Minhyuk was pulled out of his thoughts by the elder’s low voice beside him.

"You can put on whatever you want. I like dramas if there's something you’ve been wanting to watch. Doesn't matter which one." The blonde shrugged as he spoke. 

Hyunwoo seemed to be familiar with the streaming service as he quickly searched a title and clicked the first episode. The elder looked at him with a smile. "This is one from last year but I've been wanting to watch it for a while."

Minhyuk hummed in agreement. Only a minute into the first episode and he couldn't hide a smirk when he saw the main actor. It was the member of Infinite that the elder had named as his favourite. "So your not a fan anymore eh hyung?" he asked teasingly, expecting a flustered expression.

He wasn't disappointed when the brunette's eyes widened, realizing he gave himself away. Even in the low lights, Minhyuk could see a slight tint of pink appear on the elder's cheeks. As he opened his mouth to protest, the blonde giggled, "Just admit you love him and watch your show."

He saw Hyunwoo give up with a sigh. "He’s just really attractive..." he mumbled with a pout.

Minhyuk gave a loud laugh and reached out his arm to give the taller boy a soft clap on the back. "And he’s a great actor too. This was a good choice. But if I like it then you can’t continue on without me ok?"

Hyunwoos eyes disappeared as nodded. 

They fell into a comfortable silence as they watched the show. Myungsoo was very good looking and Minhyuk was enjoying looking at him. He knew Hyunwoo only picked the drama for the actor, but the blonde enjoyed the legal drama.  
~~

Halfway through the episode, Minhyuk felt his eyes getting heavy. He had a busy day at work, and the air between him and his roommate was warm and comforting. He felt his eyes close and his head droop forward. He became unaware of his surroundings as he drifted further into a light slumber. 

The blonde felt his whole body fall to the side suddenly. But he wasn't afraid. Something gently held his head as it was placed on what he assumed was the couch. He didn't have the energy to open his eyes as he stretched his legs out. He was comfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think here or on twitter~^^ (no spoilers but the chapter I just wrote is pretty cute. It's not for a while tho looool) Thank you for reading this slow mess. Also thank you for over 1000 hits and 100 kudos! It baffles my mind that anyone would click this let alone like it lol so thanks! - Jay


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Has anyone even noticed I've been posting kind of regularly for the past couple of weeks? No? Nvm... haha enjoy! - Jay

Minhyuk woke up to the sound of an argument. Eyes fluttering open, he realized the voices were coming from the TV. He also realized that he was now lying down, taking up the full couch. He didn't know how he got into that position, although he had a feeling that there was something he was forgetting. The blonde slowly sat up and noticed Hyunwoo sitting on the ground. The elder didn't seem to notice that Minhyuk was awake.

The blonde observed the boy for a second. He looked anything but relaxed as he appeared to almost be forcing himself to stay focused on the TV.

The younger boy’s eyes lingered on his roommate’s face for a moment before he noticed them. Even beneath the low light from the television, they were obvious.

Hyunwoo’s ears were as red as tomatoes.

"Hyung," Minhyuk called softly.

The elder turned in surprise. It was so exaggerated that the blonde couldn't help but think he was acting. "Oh you’re awake?" Even his speech sounded forced, but the younger decided to ignore it as he nodded. The taller boy stiffly turned back to the television without another word. He made no move to sit back on the now available couch. 

"Hyung," Minhyuk called again, curiosity getting the best of him. The brunette only hummed in response. "Why are your ears so red? Are you ok?"

Hyunwoo’s eyes widened slightly as he visibly struggled to keep his expression neutral. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry." He still kept his gaze fixed on the screen. " I just... uh my ears go really red when I… drink alcohol."

"You drank hyung?" The blonde asked curiously, stretching his stiff arms in front of him.

"Uh... yeah. It was a long day and I don't work tomorrow.”

Minhyuk nodded before realizing that the only alcohol in the fridge was his own. “Hyung…” he started cautiously, not wanting to sound accusatory. “Did you drink one of my beers?” The brunette whipped his head around to look at him, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. Feeling all downiness from his nap disappear, Minhyuk quickly jumped off the couch to sit beside the elder. Softly putting a hand on the taller boy’s shoulder he spoke frantically. “Which is totally fine if you did, I was just asking. We can finish this pack and split the next one it’s not a big deal, I should have offered one to you sooner. I’m working tomorrow so I just didn’t think of it.” So much for giving up on being his friend, Minhyuk thought with a sigh. Obviously there was still some part of him that wanted this stranger to like him.

The elder boy’s shocked expression melted into a small smile. “Thanks Minhyuk,” he said softly. 

They were silent for a moment before loud music drew their attention to the TV. The drama’s ending song played as stills from the episode were shown. 

“Hyung, what episode did you watch up to?” he asked innocently, feeling some of the tension disappear with his question. Of course Hyunwoo was less awkward when it came to anything to do with Infinite, Minhyuk thought with a smirk.

“That was episode three. It’s really good, you should watch it.”

The blonde nodded cheerfully. “We should pick a different drama to watch together hyung. What about that new rom com with Lee Jong Suk? I love that man.”

Hyunwoo gave a low hum. “Sounds good. Right now though, we should go to bed. I know you just had a nap but you work tomorrow so you should try to sleep again.” The taller boy said as he got up from the floor. Minhyuk was caught off guard by how caring Hyunwoo sounded. The brunette even remembered that he had work the next day. 

“Ok, sleep well hyung. See you tomorrow.” The blonde gave a small wave as the elder slowly walked towards his room. 

Minhyuk was about to do the same when he noticed the half full can of Coke he had left on the table. The blonde put it in the fridge and was about to close the door when something caught his eye. 

Shoved to the back, were six cans of unopened beer. Six. Minhyuk had bought a pack a few days ago. But if the elder drank one, shouldn’t there be five left? Why would Hyunwoo lie about drinking beer? 

Minhyuk went to his room and changed into his pjs with a heavy heart. He just couldn’t fathom why the brunette would lie about something so insignificant. As he lay in his bed, he suddenly felt a strange sensation on his forehead. His hand immediately rose to the spot that felt warm and tingly. There was also an odd feeling that it was willing Minhyuk to remember something. To remember something that happened on that spot. After a moment, he shook his head, trying to get rid of the odd sensation. With a last sigh, the blonde closed his eyes tight and willed sleep to come to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one was so short but it needed to be its own part. Lots more to come! I want to know all your thoughts so as always please comment or hit me up on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/monrohaJay) \- Jay


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know I complained about no one noticing my frequency then proceeded to skip a week but I'm back. So new chapter yay! - Jay

“I’m serious Jooheon. I’m really not overreacting this time!” Minhyuk yelled into the phone. “When I came home from work, he wasn’t here. I was expecting to chat and bond more.”

“Hyung, you can’t be mad about that. And it’s not proof he hates you. Hyunwoo hyung probably had people to meet, or stuff to do.” Jooheon tried to reason with his friend.

“Wait, why is he Hyunwoo hyung?” the blonde asked accusingly. “You haven’t even met him and all of a sudden you’re calling him hyung and taking his side? You’re supposed to be _my_ friend,” Minhyuk wailed, dramatically flopping onto his bed.

He could practically hear the eye roll as a drawn out sigh erupted from the other side of the line. 

“Hyung, don’t be so loud. Your apartment is small, he’ll probably hear you.”

“Whatever, I don’t even care anymore. Let him hear. That’s what he gets for ignoring me.” The blonde pouted, lowering his volume anyway. 

“He ignored you?” Jooheon asked, voice laced with curiosity.

“Yeah, I was making ramen when he came home. I greeted him in my irresistible sunshine way, but he didn’t even spare me a glance. I invited him to eat and watch TV with me but he mumbled something about being tired and went straight to his room.”

“Really?” 

The blonde gave a small whine of affirmation. He could tell Jooheon was starting to believe him. "I ate dinner, watched TV, and did homework. He never left his room"

"But that doesn't make any sense. You said that you watched a drama together yesterday. If you guys got closer, why would he act strange again today?"

Minhyuk gave a sigh. He hadn't told Jooheon how Hyunwoo lied about drinking his beer. Partly because he didn't think it was significant. And partly because he still didn't fully understand it himself. He also knew the younger would tell him to forget about it. 

"I don't know. I thought some of the awkwardness went away. But now I feel like I'm being rejected by him. It hurts my feelings. But even yesterday when I told him things about me, he didn't even acknowledge them. And he never tells me anything about himself. I feel like I'm trying to get answers from a log.” Minhyuk felt his voice getting louder in his anger. “It’s like he doesn’t even want us to get to know each other. He said he wanted to be friends, but his actions don’t match. He makes no sense and it’s so frustrating. I’m a great person, he should want to be friends with me! Ugh, Jooheon what am I gonna do?”

“Hyung,” Jooheon urged, “watch your volume.”

“Oh my goodness, Heony it’s fine. He’s probably too busy to listen to me and my door’s closed anyway so he definitely won’t hear-“ The blonde sat up on his bed and promptly shut his mouth, eyes wide. The door to his room was in fact, not shut, but more than halfway open. And standing in the doorway, was none other than Son Hyunwoo.

The two stared at each other while Minhyuk briefly debated jumping out his window. Did Hyunwoo hear him? He must have. The question was, how much? 

“Hyung? Can you hear me?” Jooheon’s voice sounded faintly on the phone, but was ignored.

Minhyuk found himself unable to read his roommate’s expression. His face was fairly neutral, but the shorter boy noticed a hint of hurt in his eyes. The younger wanted to feel justified, he was mad. And Hyunwoo should feel bad for ignoring him. But in that moment, he just felt sorry.

Minhyuk decided that he should just apologize. “Hyunwoo hyung I’m s-“

“Can I borrow your shampoo?” the elder’s voice was calm as he cut off the blonde. Caught off guard, Minhyuk stood from his bed. Hyunwoo cast his eyes to the ground with an embarrassed smile. “I… uh… I was showering and didn’t realize I was out of mine. I picked it up from Kihyun’s yesterday, but it’s empty. I saw yours there, but didn’t want to use it without asking.” His voice got quieter as he spoke, as if he was afraid of Minhyuk’s response.

It was only at that moment that the blonde realized that Hyunwoo’s hair was wet, water dripping onto his baggy shirt. Minhyuk blinked at him, trying to organize his thoughts. “Wait, you were in the middle of showering? You could have just used it and asked after. Or used it and not told me. That’s what anyone else would have done.” The blonde was confused, but found Hyunwoo’s innocence endearing.

The elder gave a small laugh, making eye contact for a second before looking away again. “I guess you’re right. But um… you’ve been so nice, so I didn’t want to do that to you.”

“Oh…” For once in his life, Minhyuk found himself at a loss for words. Hyunwoo was so kind, too kind. Maybe that was why the blonde was so hurt at the idea of being ignored by the elder. Minhyuk smiled warmly, hoping it would somehow mask his confusion. “Of course you can borrow my shampoo hyung. We can even share and take turns buying if you like it.”

The elder smiled and the blonde’s heart might have flipped. There it was again. That smile where the brunette’s eyes disappeared and only his two front teeth showed. The smile that made Hyunwoo look extremely adorable. “Thanks Minhyuk,” he said, seemingly more comfortable now. Without another word, the taller boy went back to the bathroom, leaving the blonde standing dumbstruck.

“What just happened?” Minhyuk whispered to himself.

“Hyung? Hyung! Is he gone? Hyung!” The blonde came out of his daze to hear Jooheon’s voice coming from the abandoned phone on his bed.

Minhyuk quickly picked up the device and spoke in a low voice. “I think he heard me.”

There was a sigh on the other side. “I told you that you should be quieter,” Jooheon whined.

“He was standing right in front of my open door, a lower volume wouldn’t have helped.”

“How much do you think he heard?” the red haired boy asked in a hushed tone. Minhyuk could tell that his friend was just as anxious as he was.

“I don’t know. Probably all of it? Maybe nothing? I mean he didn’t call me out on it,” the blonde said hopefully.

“Yeah, he just asked to use your shampoo? That’s super odd, but also kinda cute.”

“What the heck Jooheon, you were listening?” Minhyuk’s voice rose again. “That was a private conversation.”

“Sorry hyung.” His friend sounded anything but apologetic. “It was too tempting. I was so curious about how you guys interact.”

“And your verdict?” Jooheon’s opinion on the matter was the only one he was willing to hear at the moment.

“Very awkward. Little hope,” the younger deadpanned.

The blonde groaned as he laid back onto his bed. Although similar to his own thoughts, hearing it out loud just sealed his fate. Maybe he and Hyunwoo just weren’t meant to be friends after all. 

“Wait,” Jooheon said calmly. “I said ‘little hope.’ A small possibility is still a possibility.”

The blonde sat up on his bed in anticipation. “So?”

“Well,” Minhyuk couldn’t help but think Jooheon was purposely being slow to torture him. “I think you’re both scared of each other.”

“What?” Minhyuk yelled, not expecting that answer at all. “Lee Jooheon, what does that even mean?”

His friend giggled, seeming to enjoy the blonde’s anguish. “Even just from that small conversation, I can tell there’s something holding you both back. I think he wants to be friends just as much as you do. But I get weird vibes. Like he’s afraid of saying the wrong thing in front of you or something? And I think you feel the same. You’re both so concerned about what the other thinks that it just results in awkward tension.”

Minhyuk rolled his eyes. “You literally heard us for like a second. How on earth did you come to that conclusion?”

Jooheon giggled again, “I’m just telling you what I think, hyung. You know I have a good sense for these things.”

The blonde rolled his eyes again. “Yeah, sometimes. And other times you’re as dense as a brick.”

“You know what, I’ll admit to that. But only because you had a rough day.”

It was Minhyuk’s turn to giggle. “Thanks Jooheon. You did succeed in making me feel a little bit better, I guess”

“That’s what I’m here for. Just keep trying to talk to him. I’m sure you’ll both get over yourselves soon. He definitely doesn’t hate you. Get some sleep, tomorrow is a new day!” Jooheon cheered enthusiastically. 

“Ok,” Minhyuk said with a fond smile. “Good night Heony, see you at school tomorrow.”

“Sweet dreams, hyung.”

Minhyuk hung up, laying back on his bed with a sigh. He decided that he wouldn’t say anything about what his roommate overheard unless Hyunwoo explicitly brought it up. The only thing Minhyuk could do was keep trying to be friends. And with newfound motivation from Jooheon, that’s exactly what he planned on doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if you enjoy reading Joohyuk's friendship in this fic as much as I enjoy writing it. And any other thoughts on here or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/monrohaJay). I'm stuck on ch 15 so anything helps motivate me. Thank you for reading! See you next Monday(?) - Jay


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! Keeping that weekly schedule, go me. - Jay

Minhyuk awoke the next morning to find that all resolve to try and be Hyunwoo's friend had disappeared. The reason for this was probably that he remembered his packed work and school schedule. To top it off, he had his least favourite class, Test and Measurements, today. He majored in psychology to get away from math, why was it still involved in so many required courses?

The blonde quickly got dressed and headed out of his room. He rushed to the fridge, but panicked when he couldn’t find the milk. He saw it yesterday, did Hyunwoo really drink a whole container in a day?

Minhyuk almost jumped when he heard a small cough from behind him. He closed the fridge and looked over to see Hyunwoo sitting at the table, watching him with a small smile. The blonde must have walked right past him. He looked to the table to see the container of milk in the middle.

“Good morning hyung,” Minhyuk said with a tired smile. Approaching the table, he saw two bowls of cereal, one in front of the elder and one across from him. In answer to his unspoken question, Hyunwoo gave another small smile.

“I saw that you had a morning class. I don’t know if you like cereal and I know it’s not much but I thought we could have breakfast together.”

Before Minhyuk could ask, he remembered that his school schedule was posted on the fridge. The blonde gave a little nod, still a bit drowsy from sleep. He took a seat, poured milk into his cereal and started eating.

Devouring his food quickly, it wasn't until Minhyuk was almost finished that he noticed the elder staring at him. The blonde met his eyes and tilted his head questioningly. Giving an awkward cough, Hyunwoo broke eye contact and picked up his phone from the table. Minhyuk stood to put his bowl in the sink when the brunette suddenly held his phone up to him.

“Can I get your number Minhyuk?”

The blonde tried to hide his excitement. He had been wanting his roommates phone number, but had been determined to wait for the elder to ask him. With an enthusiastic nod, he quickly put down his bowl and typed his number into the phone. Saving his contact as 'Minhyukkie ☀️' he handed the phone back with a smile. Catching a glimpse of the time, he ran his bowl to the kitchen and picked up his bag.

"I'm sorry hyung, I have to go," the boy called in a rush as he approached the door.

"Minhyuk wait." The blonde turned around to see Hyunwoo standing beside the table. His hand was rubbing at his nape as he avoided eye contact. Minhyuk had been on the receiving end of this treatment enough in the last few days to know that the elder had something to say.

"What is it? Spit it out hyung, I'm gonna be late,” the boy whined, turning the doorknob.

At the elder’s silence, the blonde rolled his eyes. “Just text me about it later, I seriously need to-”

“Dinner!” the brunette blurt out suddenly. “Um... I mean...” He turned sheepish again after his outburst. “Let’s go out to dinner today, whatever you feel like eating. I want us to get to know each other.”

“Sure hyung, text me where you want to meet. Bye!” Minhyuk could do nothing but agree in his rush out the door.

It was only on his walk to school that he started thinking about it. Dinner at a restaurant with just him and Hyunwoo would be the most awkward thing ever. He wasn’t sure if he could handle it, but thought of the perfect solution.

~~

“No Minhyuk.”

“Pleeeeease,” the blonde whined, grabbing onto Jooheon’s shirt as he walked away.

“No! Why on earth would I go to dinner with you and your roommate? He obviously wants just you there, why are you dragging me into this?” The red haired boy continued to walk away, his friend still clinging to his back.

“He didn’t technically specify that it needed to be just us. I don’t wanna be alone in public with him, that’s terrifying. Please just help me out.” Minhyuk pleaded as he sat beside his friend on the coach.

Twenty minutes before Minhyuk was supposed to meet Hyunwoo for dinner, he had cornered Jooheon in the younger’s apartment. He hoped to pressure his friend into joining him, maybe then it would be a little less awkward. But the red haired boy was proving to be a hard sell.

“I’ll go with you hyung,” a new voice said from behind them.

Minhyuk turned to see Jooheon’s roommate standing in the kitchen doorway. He was looking at them blankly as he ate ramen straight out of the pot. The blonde hadn't even been aware that the boy was home.

“Changkyun nooo. Don’t give him what he wants. It isn’t our business.” Jooheon whined.

The blonde jumped off the couch and approached the boy with a hopeful look.

"Really Changkyunnie? You would do that for me? I love you. If you weren't holding a boiling hot pot right now, I would hug you so tight and never let go."

"Why do you think I brought it?" the boy mumbled. But Minhyuk was too happy to care. He looked at Jooheon, who sprawled himself out on the couch in distress.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but," Jooheon took a deep sigh as he sat back up. "Four is less awkward than three. So I guess I'm coming too."

"Yay!" Minhyuk ran and tackled his friend on the couch. He held tightly as Jooheon squirmed to get out of the blonde’s hug. "You’re the best!" he shouted happily, finally letting his friend free as he stood up. "But we have to go quickly, I'm supposed to meet him there in 10 minutes."

Changkyun nodded and returned his pot to the kitchen as Jooheon stood with another dramatic sigh.

Minhyuk bounded over to the coat hook and put on his own before grabbing Jooheon’s favourite jacket. He held it out to the boy who trudged to the entrance way. Changkyun joined them, already wearing his coat.

"Okay team! I'm calling it, Mission: Make my roommate not the most awkward human. MRNMAH for short!"

"That's a terrible name," Changkyun commented with a smirk.

"You definitely owe me a cake for this," Jooheon mumbled with a pout.

And with that, the three boys left the apartment. Ready to face the awkward situation they may be making worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Sorry today's chapter was short, but it's setting up things to come! As always, I love comments and motivation or come bother me on twitter. Any thoughts? Predictions? I'm having so much fun writing this and I know its not the most exciting fic but thank you so much for giving it love anyway!! - Jay


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay!! Enjoy~!! - Jay

“Changkyunnie grab the table of four over there.”

“No hyung, I think this one would be better,” Changkyun shouted behind him, claiming a table in the busy restaurant.

“Why six seats though? And two meat grills? There’s only going to be four of us right?” Jooheon questioned as he sat beside the younger. Minhyuk took a seat across from them, mirroring the red haired boy’s questioning look.

Changkyun gave the blonde a smug smirk. "I only know what Jooheon has told me but," he glanced at the boy beside him before looking back to Minhyuk. "I think your roommate feels the same way about you as you do about him." The boy stopped, as if the elder was supposed to understand his point without him actually saying it.

The blonde stared blankly, glancing at an equally confused Jooheon. Changkyun looked between his two friends before he gave a frustrated sigh.

"What I mean is," he looked to Minhyuk "You called us here because you think just the two of you would be awkward right?" The blonde nodded slowly. "So don't you think your roommate will do the same?"

Minhyuk frowned in thought. He supposed what the younger was proposing made sense. But would Hyunwoo really-

"Kihyun hyung?"

As Changkyun’s voice startled him, Minhyuk turned in the direction the youngest was looking to find a familiar head of pink hair.

The blonde tilted his head as the shorter boy approached. What was Kihyun doing here? His question was answered when Hyunwoo appeared close behind him. Minhyuk exchanged a glance with a smug looking Changkyun before all three boys stood to greet the others.

"Hey Minhyuk," Kihyun gave a small grin before leaning in to whisper, "I guess you both had the same idea, you cowards." The blonde gave a small giggle as he gently pushed him away.

"Looks like it."

"Im Changkyun what are you doing here?" Kihyun shoved the blonde out of the way to get to the youngest.

"I was invited!" Changkyun whined as he gave the older a short hug. "Good to see you hyung, it's been awhile. Hi Hyunwoo hyung!"

Realizing he should acknowledge his roommate, Minhyuk turned around to find the brunette standing closer than he thought. The blonde gave a small smile, suddenly feeling shy. "Hi hyung....um...." he looked around the room, as if the words he was searching for would be there. "Jooheon and Changkyun begged me to let them come. Sorry about that."

The elder nodded. "That's ok. I was with Kihyun and he wouldn't let me come without him."

Minhyuk hummed in understanding. He lied. He knew Hyunwoo was lying too. And he was sure he was just as transparent.

Minhyuk grabbed the red haired boy by the arm, bringing him forward. "This is my friend, Jooheon. And I guess you already know Changkyun?"

Kihyun nodded, still tightly holding the youngest to his side. "We were neighbours growing up, he knows Hyunwoo through me. Oh and also I need to introduce..." he trailed off, looking around with furrowed eyebrows. "...Hyungwon....who is…somewhere. Hyung, he was right behind you where did he go?"

Minhyuk saw Hyunwoo shrug as a cough sounded behind them. The group collectively turned to see a boy with white hair sitting at their table. The boy was very beautiful, despite slouching with his arms crossed and a slight frown on his face.

"Ah there he is. Jooheon, Minhyuk, this is my boyfriend Hyungwon!" Kihyun chirped with a smile, gesturing to the pretty boy.

Hyungwon gave a small wave. "Sit, you guys are blocking the aisle," the white haired boy deadpanned, slipping off his jacket.

With a few exchanged looks, the group swiftly returned to the table. Minhyuk found himself sitting down last, with the only remaining seat being beside Hyunwoo. He glanced to Jooheon, who was avoiding his eyes and hiding a smile. Maybe the seating arrangement wasn't an accident after all.

Minhyuk took his place only to quickly stand up again. "I’m gonna go to the bathroom," he announced to the table. Upon receiving a few small nods, he left.

The blonde scurried to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked pretty today. The chilled February wind had slightly thrown his hair around, but he still looked good. He wet his face a bit, hyping himself up. He could definitely handle a simple dinner. He wasn't sure why Hyunwoo made him feel this way. Sure it was awkward, but it shouldn't be something to be afraid of. Perhaps he didn't want to be hated by this boy that he was already starting to feel attached to.

He stared into the mirror with a sigh. "You got this Minhyuk. Just be yourself. No way he can't like you." With a final determined nod he left to return to their table.

Minhyuk returned to find the group in pleasant conversation with each other. He was pleased to see Jooheon smiling and looking comfortable with an arm on Hyungwon’s shoulder. The white haired boy himself looked less grumpy as he listened to his boyfriend with a soft smile. The only one not adding to whatever they were discussing, was Hyunwoo.

As if sensing eyes on him, the elder turned his head to where Minhyuk stood. Hyunwoo smiled softly as he pulled out the chair beside him, tilting his head in a silent gesture to sit down. The younger returned the smile as he took a seat.

"We already ordered, so the meat should be here soon. You must be hungry." The elder learned closer to Minhyuk, voice low. The blonde figured that he was trying not to disrupt the louder conversation going on at the other end of the table.

"What did we get?" Minhyuk asked, also leaning forward.

"Oh I don't know." Hyunwoo said with a giggle, drawing away slightly. "I've never been here. Jooheon and Changkyun took over. Ordered whatever is good. But it's meat, you really can't go wrong."

Minhyuk nodded. He was surprised the elder hadn't been to this place before, it was his favourite restaurant. Him and Jooheon came almost every week. That reminded him...

"Oh shoot." Changkyun and Hyunwoo looked to the blonde at his outburst.

"What is it hyung?" the boy across from him asked.

"I had coupons for this place, but I put them on the fridge. When you text to meet here, I already left the house. I could have gotten us a discount." Minhyuk face palmed himself dramatically, earning a small smile from the elder.

He saw Changkyun smirk. "So you left coupons to your favourite restaurant on the fridge. And later, Hyunwoo hyung text you to have dinner here?" His question sounded teasing and rhetorical. Before he could ask what the younger was implying, the meat arrived and the hungry boys began grilling. Hyungwoo started to cook the food for Minhyuk, Changkyun and himself while the other three had their own grill.  
Minhyuk glanced to the other side, slightly sorry for leaving his friend with two strangers. But Jooheon looked as happy as ever. The blonde giggled, chiding himself for even worrying.

It was only at that moment that he realized everyone already had drinks.

While everyone else had some sort of clear carbonated drink, Minhyuk’s cup was filled with a brown liquid. He took a small sip with a smile. Just as he suspected, it was coke. Jooheon must have ordered it, knowing it was the blonde’s favourite. He was lucky to have a friend who remembered his preferences.

"Hyung, why are you serving him first? I'm the youngest and you love me more."

Minhyuk was brought out of his thoughts by Changkyun’s whine. He realized that Hyunwoo was transferring meat from the grill onto his own plate. The blonde smiled at the pouting boy as he took a bite.

"Wow hyung, this is cooked perfectly. Can you always be in charge of cooking the meat?" he gushed between bites.

Hyunwoo gave a soft laugh as he reached across the table to give some food to Changkyun. Minhyuk briefly wondered why his roommate was wearing a tee shirt in February. But that thought quickly disappeared when the blonde saw rippling muscles as Hyunwoo used scissors to cut the meat.

"Well," Minhyuk forced his eyes off the elder’s forearms. "I was the one who invited you to dinner so I wasn't gonna make you do it. And Changkyun..." they both glanced to the boy who was happily eating. Hyunwoo leaned over slightly, bringing his voice to a whisper. "We learned the hard way not to let him do it. Unless you want your meat burnt."

"Hey!" Changkyun pouted again. "I heard that. Don't bully me or I'll tell Kihyun hyung."

Suddenly, Hyunwoo received a swift hit to the shoulder from the pink haired boy beside him. "Don't bully my son!" 

Kihyun reached over with his tongs to snag a piece of meat off their grill.

"Hey, keep to your own side!" Minhyuk snapped with a laugh

Kihyun stuck out his tongue before eating the meat. "That's what you get for teasing my child."

"But hyung," Changkyun whined. "You’re taking food away from me too."

Kihyun gave an airy laugh. "Oh right. Sorry Kyunnie."

The two continued to bicker, with Jooheon and Hyungwon joining in. But Minhyuk wasn’t listening, he was looking at Hyunwoo. His roommate’s eyes were small crescents, looking fondly at his friends. He looked comfortable. The elder turned slightly to catch Minhyuk’s gaze. The blonde thought about turning away, but instead waited with baited breath. This was usually when the brunette would look away and make things awkward again. Instead, Hyunwoo’s smile remained as he placed more meat on Minhyuk’s plate, nodding at him to eat.

The blonde happily ate the perfectly grilled food as the elder turned his attention back to their bickering friends. 

Maybe the dinner went better than they both thought it would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm literally on the way to Chicago to see mx! And edited on the train so praise me!!! Hit me up on twitter if you are going too and we can meet up! As always, comments are very very appreciated, thanks for reading! - Jay


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! Updating on a Sunday so surprise! This chapter is the first POV change so that's exciting haha. Enjoy! - Jay

Jooheon was stuffed. He was super full. He couldn't eat another bite. Even if anyone tried to force him to eat more, he probably couldn't-

"Hyung do you wanna get ice cream?"

Jooheon blinked at his roommate, momentarily forgetting about his meat filled stomach. The red haired boy shrugged, "Yeah, but you're paying."

Changkyun smirked, "I have a few dollars to spare."

Jooheon threw an arm around the shorter boy with a smile as they walked into a nearby convenience store. The two walked straight to the small freezer to look at their options.

"It was really nice of Hyunwoo hyung to buy dinner for everyone. I'm sure it wasn't cheap," Jooheon commented, picking up a swirl cone.

"Yeah, he's too nice. He always buys for us. Kihyun hyung used to fight him for it, but gave up after the 10th time."

"We should have invited everyone for ice cream and gone to a park or something." Jooheon looked closer at the label. He thought it was chocolate and vanilla but it was chocolate and.... apple? Strange.

"It’s too cold to eat outside. I’m sure we’ll see them again. Everyone’s house was a different direction anyway.” The younger boy reached down to bring out a melon bar with a satisfied smile.

"It's kinda funny how we all live in pairs isn't it?" Jooheon said as they walked to the register with their treats.

Changkyun gave a low laugh. "It's definitely... interesting how everything worked out, yeah." Before the red haired boy could ask for further clarification, they were interrupted by the cashier relaying their total. As Changkyun pulled out his wallet, Jooheon gave a friendly smile to the pretty worker. She gave one of her own, and didn't seem to notice the money being held out until the younger gave a cough.

The girl spluttered out an apology as she took the cash and gave him change. She gave a last bright smile as they left, which he returned politely. The red haired boy found that people always looked at him weirdly, or smiled at him a lot. He wasn't sure why.

Changkyun gave his head a shake as they left the store. "Hyung, could you calm your dimples down for like, a minute?"

Jooheon widened his eyes in confusion. Changkyun shook his head again. "Your dimples, your whole face. You’re so cute and friendly, I become invisible. I mean, I wasn't into her or anything. But I don't appreciate being ignored when I'm just trying to pay for my food."

"Ahh so that's why she got so flustered. Strange, I just smiled."

Changkyun face palmed. "Coming from you, that's enough. This literally always happens. You better get a boyfriend soon. Then you can bring him everywhere and maybe I won't be a ghost anymore."

Jooheon jut his bottom lip out in a pout. "I don't do it on purpose," he grumbled.

Changkyun held out the bag for his friend to carry. The red haired boy took it, still pouting, which prompted a laugh from the shorter boy. "Just get a boyfriend or I'm gonna start holding your hand when we’re in public. That'll make them notice me."

Jooheon stuck out his tongue. "Sorry man, you’re not my type."

He felt a clap on his shoulder. "I know. Speaking of..." Changkyun trailed off for a second. Jooheon looked at his friend’s face, dimly lit by the street lights. "Did you notice anything weird about Hyunwoo hyung?"

Jooheon stifled a laugh. "I just met the guy tonight. How am I supposed to know if he was any different than usual?"

The younger shrugged, seeming to drop the subject as they continued to walk in silence. As they rounded the last corner to their building, Jooheon wondered if he should mention it. That there was something that had been bothering him. Something he noticed about Hyunwoo and Minhyuk. He thought maybe it was just him, but if Changkyun noticed something too..... maybe it wasn't nothing.

“I may have..." Jooheon started cautiously, prompting the younger to look at him. "I may have noticed something about Hyunwoo hyung. I mean like, how he acts with Minhyuk hyung specifically."

His roommate broke into a smile. "So you noticed it too? I knew I couldn't be the only one. I mean, he was being so painfully obvious about it."

"Yeah, I knew with one look to be honest. He’s so easy to read."

Changkyun gave an airy laugh. "He really is though. Somehow showing no emotion makes him more transparent. Do you think Minhyuk hyung knows?"

Jooheon shrugged. He wasn't sure why Changkyun was talking about this like it was juicy piece of gossip. "Yeah I mean, he doesn't know what Hyunwoo hyung is like normally, so it's not as clear as it is to you. But I'm sure he suspects it."

"Wow. This is crazy. I know Minhyuk hyung is pretty, but he’s also loud and they've only known each other for a couple of days. What do you think he's gonna do? Do you think he feels the same?" Changkyun lowered his voice, tone suddenly becoming serious.

"I mean, I think he's just gonna go with it. Just continue on like he usually does." Jooheon shrugged again, confused by the seriousness of his friend. "I think he might feel the same."

Changkyun eyes widened as they approached the building. "Really? You think he feels the same as Hyunwoo hyung does?"

Jooheon nodded, "To an extent, yeah. I'm sure he does." He keyed in the building passcode and opened the door for his roommate. "But it's not a big deal, right?"

Changkyun stopped on the stairs and turned around quickly. "What do you mean not a big deal?" he asked with shocked eyes.

Jooheon furrowed his brows in confusion. "Well, isn’t it natural to be awkward with a new roommate? Neither of them have lived with a stranger before. They’re probably both super nervous. And Hyunwoo hyung seems awkward with strangers in general. So because of that, Minhyuk hyung also feels awkward around him. They're funny to watch,” he giggled. "They are both obviously trying to be friends, but are just so awkward." He stopped laughing as Changkyun face palmed himself. "What?" he asked defensively.

"You were talking about them being awkward?" 

The taller boy nodded slowly. "Isn’t that what you were talking about?"

Changkyun shook his head with a sigh. "I should have known you wouldn't notice it. I was the fool for believing in you." The younger boy snatched the bag of ice cream and ran up the stairs. "Come on hyung. We have to put these in the freezer."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Jooheon called after him before quickly running up the stairs. "What didn't I notice?"

"Don't worry about it hyung. Hurry up before I eat your weird chocolate and apple ice cream," Changkyun called from the floor above him. Jooheon started to run faster, knowing he would be screwed if the younger decided to lock him out.

"Im Changkyun don't you dare eat my strange ice cream!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! The reason for an update a day early is because I'm going to go on a short hiatus. But I will be back and posting every Monday starting again on the 26th of August. But....the next chapter is pretty cute, if I do say so myself. So you have that to look forward to! Come yell at me on twitter if you miss me XD As always, thank you for reading and please leave comments~^^ - Jay


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Chapter Yay! Enjoy~ We back to Minhyuk pov ^^ - Jay

After splitting from the others, the journey home was actually quite pleasant. Minhyuk and Hyunwoo walked in comfortable silence. The blonde stuffed his cold hands deeper into his pockets. He glanced over at the elder, wondering if he was warm enough in his light jacket.

"Hyung!" Minhyuk chirped, suddenly linking their arms together. He glanced at the elder, gauging his reaction. It was a bold move, but they were roommates and on their way to becoming friends. Hyunwoo looked over questioningly, making no move to escape the younger’s clutches.

"What?" the brunette asked, softly nudging his shoulder playfully.

Minhyuk smiled wider. "Nothing. Just happy and full. Thanks for buying dinner tonight."

Hyunwoo nodded, looking at the blonde with a small smile. "I always buy dinner for my friends."

"Oh." Minhyuk exclaimed softly, tightening his grip on his roommate’s arm. Did that mean they were friends? Should he ask? He peered at the elder’s face and decided against it.

They walked in silence for the rest of the short way home, still attached at the arm. It got to a point where Minhyuk thought it would be weirder if he did let go. Besides, he liked the warmth and comfort he felt from the other boy.

When they reached their door, the younger finally let go. They smiled awkwardly at each other, as if just realizing they had linked arms the whole way home. Minhyuk worried for a second, but the elder held the door open with a smile. The blonde walked in and took off his shoes, watching Hyunwoo do the same. He glanced at the time and sighed. With his body comfortably full of food, Minhyuk didn’t have the will to do laundry. But he knew he had been putting it off for too long.

"Hyung, I’m just gonna do some laundry before bed. Are you gonna sleep?” he asked with a sleepy smile, stretching his arms in front of him.

Hyunwoo eyes flickered from his face to his feet for just a moment before giving a soft smile of his own. "Yeah, I think I'll wash up and head to bed. I have class early tomorrow, so I’ll probably be gone by the time you get up."

Minhyuk nodded. He knew Hyunwoo had seen his schedule, but was impressed he already memorized it. “I'll see you in the evening then. Sleep well." He gave a small wave as he walked away slowly. After such a great evening, he wondered if they should spend more time together. The blonde worried that if they split up now, it may turn awkward again the next day.

Minhyuk gave his head a little shake. He couldn't think like that. It shouldn't be awkward anymore, and if it is, there's not much he can do about it now. So the boy went to his room, grabbed his dirty clothes and headed to the basement.

~~

Minhyuk hummed a made up tune as he finished sorting his clothes into coloured piles. He turned on the washing machine, waiting for it to fill up before he started to load.

Suddenly, he whipped his head around quickly to his left. Sure enough, as usually happened when he got a sudden sense, he was met with what he feared most. 

On the wall, at eye level, was a spider. 

The blonde froze for a second, hoping it was miraculously dead or something.

Nope nope nope nope. Definitely not dead definitely not- "Ahhhhh!" Minhyuk let out an ear piercing scream as the insect started to crawl along the wall. The boy glanced at his surroundings, trying to decide what to do. His breathing started to speed up as he struggled to remain calm. If the spider continued to crawl, it would end up behind the washing machine. Or if Minhyuk ran now, the spider might hide in his pile of clothes.

But the evil creature had stopped moving. Maybe if he acted quickly, he could muster up the courage to just kill it and- "Nope! It’s moving it's moving!" Forgetting all logic, as always, Minhyuk dropped the clothes in his hands and made to escape up the stairs.

He turned around quickly, only to bump into something that had appeared in front of him. As he steadied himself, he realized that Hyunwoo was standing very close to him. Minhyuk didn't realize he was still hyperventilating until he felt two sturdy hands on his shoulders.

"Where is it, Minhyuk?"

The blonde lifted a shaky hand to point at the spider, trying not to squeal with fear. In the blink of an eye, the comforting weight left his shoulders as Hyunwoo walked to the wall. As the elder held up a Kleenex, Minhyuk instinctively averted his eyes.

He only looked up when he felt a gentle hand on his back. "It's gone now, Minhyuk." A low, tender voice echoed throughout the small basement. He looked into his roommate’s eyes, trying to radiate the gratitude he felt. But he was still shaken and couldn't respond. The elder didn't seem to mind as he softly stroked the shorter boy’s back. After a few moments, Minhyuk’s breathing evened out and he smiled at the elder.

But his smile quickly fell as he took a panicked step away. His fright had made him so blind to anything else, that he had failed to notice one very important thing. 

For some reason, Hyunwoo was shirtless. Very shirtless. As shirtless as one could be. 

Minhyuk stared shamelessly with wide eyes. He knew from the glimpse he had gotten of the elder’s forearms that he had a nice body. But this? This was just unfair. Hyunwoo’s tanned skin almost sparkled as he stood in the dim light. Minhyuk’s eyes started to trail down to the elders toned abdomen until he caught himself. He brought his eyes back up, only to be relieved that he hadn't been caught staring.

The elder was looking around the room with furrowed brows. He continued to search until he caught the blonde’s eye. Minhyuk gave a nervous giggle as he broke eye contact.

"Hyung…your…uh," he glanced quickly to the brunette’s bare torso. "Shirt is…uh…gone." Minhyuk mentally face palmed. That must have sounded very intelligent.

"Oh." Hyunwoo gave an embarrassed smile as his hand came up to his nape. "I was just getting dressed but then I heard your scream." He glanced to the blonde, as if gauging for a reaction.

"You could have thrown on a shirt silly," Minhyuk teased as he hit the elder playfully on the shoulder. It was only then that he noticed the taller boy’s slightly wet hair that fell into his eyes.

The blonde was unprepared for Hyunwoo to raise his head. His embarrassed expression was gone as serious dark brown eyes bore into Minhyuk’s own.

"I didn't want to make you wait. I thought you needed me now."

Neither boy moved as the blonde gaped at the elder. Hyunwoo seemed to belatedly register his words as he took a step away and gave a small giggle. "To kill the bug, I mean. I thought you…uh… needed me to do that… right away. So… if you’re ok, I guess I'll go then."

As the brunette went to walk past, Minhyuk grabbed his wrist gently. "Hyung, can you," his voice was quiet. Perhaps he wasn't over his scare. "Can you just take a quick look around for any others, please?"

Hyunwoo turned, kind eyes full of concern. "Of course."

The blonde watched as the elder proceeded to do a thorough search of the small room. He shone his phone light to check behind both machines and in all the corners. He even gave each piece of clothing on the floor a shake, eyes fixed on the ground for any trace of an intruder.

Minhyuk stood in the middle of the room, catching his eyes going to the elder’s abs or back muscles more than once. He couldn't describe what he felt as he watched Hyunwoo carefully. Said boy didn't seem to notice, too focused on his task. Minhyuk felt so grateful and… he struggled to find the emotion. When the elder caught his eye and gave a warm smile, the blonde finally realized what he felt. 

Safe. He felt safe and protected. He wasn't sure why bugs had such a strong effect on him. But they did and there was nothing he could do about it. But having Hyunwoo here right now, he felt ok. The taller boy didn't question or tease him, and was searching so diligently. He had a sincerity that Minhyuk had never been on the receiving end of before. 

This. This felt right.

"I don't see anything." Minhyuk was brought out of his thoughts by the elder’s kind voice. The blonde smiled as the taller boy approached him. "Do you need me to stay down here until you're done?"

The younger shook his head with a bright smile. "I'll be ok. Thank you, hyung"

The elder peered at him, as if trying to figure out if he was lying. Eventually he gave a small nod. "Ok then. I'll see you tomorrow. Come get me if you need me, ok?"

Minhyuk’s breath hitched until he realized the elder meant only if there was another bug. He mentally chided himself for thinking of anything else. "Yep! Good night hyung. Thanks again,” he chirped a little too enthusiastically. As he watched the retreating figure, the blonde felt more confused about his feelings than he would like to admit.

Minhyuk gave his head a little shake as he returned to his laundry. He barely knew the boy. He couldn't allow himself to think anything weird just because Hyunwoo killed one spider. 

Could he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I am back from hiatus and have decided to post every Sunday from now on!   
> I have been excited to post this particular chapter ever since I wrote it like 2 months ago.  
> Please let me know what you thought and thank you for reading! - Jay


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! Back to Jooheon because I love him...... and plot related reasons of course.... Haha Enjoy! - Jay

"But hyung, I’m already here."

"I'm sorry Jooheon, but I really need to talk to this professor. I'll rush home as soon as I'm done."

The red haired boy pouted. "Then where am I supposed to go?” he whined into the phone.

He heard Minhyuk give a hearty laugh from the other side of the line. "Just go in and wait. Hyunwoo hyung should be home."

"But," Jooheon made his voice higher, hoping he would be cute enough for the blonde to rush back. "I don't know Hyunwoo hyung. Can’t you just come home now?"

"No Heony, just go in. He’s really nice. Yesterday he saved my life."

"What do you mean he save-"

"Oh, the professor’s here, I have to go now. I'll see you soon love you bye," Minhyuk chirped quickly before hanging up.

The red haired boy gave a frustrated sigh as he started to pace in the hallway. He couldn't just walk in. While Hyunwoo seemed like a nice guy, he was still a stranger. But what was with Minhyuk’s sudden change of heart? Last he knew, his friend was dying from their awkwardness.

The younger rolled his eyes. "I swear to God Minhyuk, if you are suddenly fawning over him because he killed a bug or something I will rip off your-" He promptly shut his mouth when he heard the sound of a door opening. He turned to see Hyunwoo standing in the doorway, wearing a neutral expression that almost looked bored. Jooheon gave a small bow that the other boy returned.

"You can come in," the brunette said, an inviting smile appearing on his face.

Jooheon gave a smile of his own as he nodded. If things got too awkward, he could just lock himself in Minhyuk’s room. It would be better than waiting in the chilly hallway.

He followed Hyunwoo into the house. "Minhyuk texted me and said you might be too nervous to come in." Jooheon pouted, failing to find any hint of mockery in the brunette’s smile. How dare Minhyuk expose him like that!

Jooheon waved his hands in front of his face frantically. “That’s not it hyung, I just-” The red haired boy’s words got stuck in his throat as he entered the living room. 

Sitting on the couch, was the most beautiful specimen to ever exist. Jooheon froze, staring wide-eyed at the man, whose eyes were luckily glued to his phone. The younger boy quickly scanned the stranger’s body, not even questioning why the man was wearing a t-shirt and shorts in the middle of February. He didn’t care, as long as it meant he could look at the giant muscles that made up the stranger’s perfect body. Jooheon didn’t even notice Hyunwoo come up behind him until a strong hand was placed on his shoulder.

“Hoseok, say hi to my roommate’s friend.” The stranger looked up at the elder’s call, brushing shiny black bangs out of his eyes. Jooheon felt his heart jump to his throat as he took in the beautiful face smiling at him. His porcelain skin practically glowed, as the only imperfections were the wrinkles that appeared from smiling. The statuesque man stood and adjusted his shorts before strolling over to Jooheon.

“Hi! I’m Hoseok, nice to meet you.” Jooheon had to stop a squeal from erupting. In contrast to the manly face and body, his voice was soft and higher in tone. The red haired boy noted the slight lisp that somehow made him even cuter.

It was then he realized the boy had stretched out his hand. “Oh hi,” Jooheon spluttered out, shaking Hoseok’s hand a little too enthusiastically. “I’m...” The boy couldn’t seem to remember his own name. After what seemed like an eternity, the red haired boy let go of the elder’s hand. “Jooheon,” he said finally, trying to compose himself. “My name is Jooheon. Nice to meet you too.”

“So, you’re a friend of Minhyuk?” Hoseok questioned, taking a seat back on the couch. Jooheon tried to keep his eyes up as the ravenette crossed his legs.

“Hoseok,” a panicked voice sounded beside him. “You’re wearing shorts.” Hyunwoo stepped forward, as if going to block his friend from exposing himself.

Hoseok smiled sheepishly, putting his feet on the ground and bringing his legs together. But he didn’t look as flustered as Hyunwoo did. Jooheon watched the brunette look hastily between them. “Hoseok, you can’t do that in front of someone you just met. What if Minhyuk gets mad at me for you flashing his best friend?” He turned to Jooheon with a smile. “I’m sorry about him. He wasn’t trying to be an exhibitionist, he’s just dumb.”

Jooheon laughed as Hoseok gave a cute pout. “It’s ok,” the red haired boy said with a nervous giggle. “I liked it, I mean, I didn’t like it. I didn’t look, but if I did I wouldn’t complain. But like I totally didn’t see anything. So uh, I’m gonna stop talking. What I mean is it’s fine and Minhyuk won't get mad at you, because I’m fine and it’s fine and you’re fine, I mean you’re both fine, but not like that. I mean your actions are fine. And I’m...”

“Fine?” Hoseok chirped, a teasing smirk on his face.

“Yeah. Um, I’m just gonna go get some food. Forget I said anything.”

“Sure, help yourself Jooheon. Feel free to join us after.”

Jooheon nodded with a smile, anxious to leave the room before he made a bigger fool out of himself. He didn’t even spare Hoseok another glance, in fear he would melt or something, and quickly rushed to the kitchen.

“He’s cute.”

Jooheon paused before opening the fridge. That was Hoseok’s voice. Was he talking about him? The red haired boy held his breath, waiting to hear more. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was meant to hear the comment.

“No Hoseok. ” Hyunwoo whispered in a warning tone. Jooheon shifted closer to the wall, keeping himself hidden. He knew he shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but his slight infatuation with the ravenette momentarily clouded his judgment.

He heard melodic laughter sound throughout the apartment before Hoseok seemed to quiet himself again. “What?” Jooheon heard him whisper, still loud enough to make out his words. “So you’re allowed to be creepy, but I can’t say an adorable guy is cute? That seems awfully unfair Hyunwoo, I’m very disappointed in you.”

Jooheon had to put a hand over his mouth to keep a laugh from escaping. Hoseok’s voice was so cute, he could practically hear the playful pout.

“Shh Hoseok. If he hears you-” Hyunwoo said, voice panicked.

“He won’t he won’t. I’m great at speaking quietly,” Hoseok reassured in a very loud and audible whisper.

Jooheon decided to open and close the fridge before going back to his eavesdropping spot. He gave himself a mental pat on the back for his cleverness. This way they would think he was still preoccupied in the kitchen and continue their conversation.

“I wasn’t being creepy, I just... I don’t know. You wouldn’t understand. He looked so cute Hoseok. I told you that in confidence, you’re not supposed to judge me.”

“Doesn’t matter how cute someone is, it’s still weird to kiss your roommate on the forehead while they’re sleeping. Especially a couple days after you met. And the fact that you’re embarrassed red ears almost gave you away? Ridiculous.” 

“Shhh Hoseok. Jooheon can’t know and Minhyuk definetly can’t know. We are finally starting to become friends and I can’t risk that. I just had a moment of weakness ok? So can you drop it?”

“Yeah yeah, I got it. I’m hungry.”

Jooheon realized with a start that Hoseok’s voice seemed to be approaching. He quickly fled his hiding spot and flung the fridge open with more force than intended. He pretended to inspect an apple as the muscular man walked in.

Hoeseok shot him a smile, and for a second Jooheon wondered if he knew he had overheard everything. The younger tried to look calm, but knew for a fact he was failing. “Find anything to eat?” the ravenette asked, bringing his face close to peer into the fridge.

Jooheon took a step back, breath faltering for a second. “No. I mean uh… I don’t think I’m that hungry after all. Minhyuk and I will probably order pizza or something.” He smiled sheepishly as he put the apple back and dashed out of the kitchen.

The boy looked over to see Hyunwoo sitting on the couch, looking at his phone. Jooheon stared at him for a moment, finally letting what he overhead sink in.

This man, this stranger, was his best friend’s roommate. And this roommate kissed Minhyuk’s forehead while he was sleeping, because he thought the blonde was cute. Jooheon should be angry, or confused, or feel… something. But he didn’t. Why didn’t he feel any strong emotion? Maybe it was because he had only met Hyunwoo once, but already liked him. He had already seen the potential that the elder and the blonde had at being friends. Maybe he was okay with this stranger having a crush on Minhyuk. Or maybe, just maybe, Jooheon was still too shocked from his immediate infatuation with Hoseok to think of anyone else right now. Whatever it was, he knew he wasn’t going to do anything about it. He couldn’t tell Minhyuk, at least not until he was sure of Hyunwoo’s genuine feelings.

“Hey hyung?” Hyunwoo looked up from his phone. Wait, Jooheon hadn’t thought this through. He couldn’t ask about what he overheard. So what could he say?

“Yes Jooheon? What is it?”

“Um…” He tried to stall before he remembered something. “Minhyuk hyung mentioned you saved his life yesterday? What’s that about?”

“Oh.” The elder gave a cute, eye disappearing smile and looked away out of embarrassment. “That. It was nothing.” Jooheon tilted his head in curiosity.

“You saved his life? What did you do?” Jooheon turned as a sweet voice sounded from behind him. He was met with Hoseok looking at his friend with wide eyes, holding a giant bowl of chips.

“Nothing really. He just saw a bug and got a little scared.” Hyunwoo smiled as he gently pat the couch, inviting Joohoen to sit. The younger was about to offer it to Hoseok instead, when he saw the ravenette start to make himself comfortable on the floor. He sat with a sigh.

“That makes sense then.”

“Is his fear really that bad?” Hoseok asked, directing his question to both boys.

Jooheon glanced to Hyunwoo, who nodded. “He was pretty shaken. But after I got rid of it and checked for more, he seemed to be okay.”

Jooheon rest his head on his hand, worried for how scared Minhyuk would have been. He knew about the fear of his friend better than anyone. He supposed it was a good thing Hyunwoo was there.

“Hyung, where was the spider?” the red haired boy asked. He could tell the other two were caught off guard from his seriousness.

“In the basement.” Hyunwoo answered, matching Jooheon’s low tone. Hoseok looked between them with cute wide eyes, looking lost.

Jooheon nodded, staring in front of him at nothing in particular. “That’s where he saw one last time. It makes sense that he wasn’t too shaken then.” He turned to find two pairs of eyes blinking at him with confusion. He gave a small laugh. If Hyunwoo was going to live with Minhyuk, he deserved an explanation.

“Minhyuk hyung is really scared of bugs. Sometimes it can even be as bad as a minor panic attack. It depends on a few factors.” Jooheon leaned forward slightly, making the most of his captive audience.

“One is if he has seen a bug there before. If it’s a recurring spot, he will subconsciously expect it and be less surprised if it’s there. If someone comes quickly, he won’t get any worse than hyperventilating and need some recovery time.”

Jooheon looked between the two boys, eyes both serious and filled with curiosity. The red haired boy felt like a lecture professor with a PHD in the fears of Lee Minhyuk. “Another important factor is location. It’s the worst if a bug is in his room, since that’s where Minhyuk most wants to be safe. So in that case, he tends to react more strongly.” He turned to Hyunwoo. “So take special care if he sees something in his room.” The elder nodded, and Jooheon could feel the sincerity in his deep eyes.

“It’s that bad huh?” Hoseok questioned innocently. Jooheon nodded, careful not to look directly at him and become flustered again. “Did something happen that bugs make him react like this?”

The red haired boy shook his head. “I don’t think even he knows the reason, it’s just always been like this. So I’m glad he has you, hyung.” He turned to the brunette. “I know it may seem like a bother, but it would mean a lot to me if you could take care of him.”

Jooheon gulped slightly as he realized the implications of his words. He was trusting Hyunwoo with a lot more than just killing bugs. And in that moment, he knew that the elder understood.

Hyunwoo gave a solemn nod. “It’s not a bother at all. We will be ok.” Jooheon nodded again. Maybe he could trust this man, the roommate of his best friend.

Hoseok gave a cough, bringing the other two out of their conversation. Jooheon lost his serious expression in exchange for a bright smile. “Of course you will hyung, I’m not worried.”

At that moment, a key could be heard as the door opened shortly after. And in walked Minhyuk, blissfully unaware of the whole conversation that had gone on about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Good luck to those who are starting school this week! Comments and feedback on twitter are always appreciated! Love you all!! - Jay


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! Back to Minhyuk POV! Enjoy~ - Jay

Jooheon was never one to hide his feelings. Or more accurately, he was never _able_ to hide them. Even in high school, he wore his heart on his sleeve and his emotions on his face. He couldn’t lie or pretend to be nice to someone he hated. It was one of the things Minhyuk loved about him. And as the blonde sat on the floor of his living room, he was reminded of just how obvious Jooheon could be. And also of how stupidly transparent people were when they had a crush.

When Minhyuk had gotten home from school, he found his best friend, roommate, and a stranger in the living room. They seemed to be in some sort of conversation that stopped as soon as he walked in. He wondered if they were discussing him, but quickly dismissed the thought.

To his surprise, after a quick introduction to Hoseok, conversation flowed naturally between the four of them. After a long day of classes, this was what Minhyuk needed. Even Hyunwoo seemed happy and comfortable. But the blonde did notice how his roommate would stare at him, only to look away when the younger tried to meet his gaze. 

Suddenly, images of a shirtless Hyunwoo crowded Minhyuk’s brain. No no no, he couldn’t think of that now. He shouldn’t think of that at all.

“Hyung, did you hear what I said?”

Minhyuk looked to the couch, coming out of his daze with a smile. “Sorry Heony. What were you saying?”

A quiet laugh sounded from the boy beside him. “Heony,” Hoseok whispered, as if trying the nickname out on his tongue. “Cute.” Minhyuk glanced to Jooheon, who was repeating his story very animatedly. He must have been the only one to hear the elder’s comment.

That brought him back to the issue at hand. Jooheon and Hoseok. 

The blonde could tell that his best friend had a crush. Not that he could blame him for liking the attractive and muscular boy with a bright laugh and cute cheeks. Hoseok seemed to be interested in the red haired boy as well, but he sure wasn’t doing anything about it.

Minhyuk knew he had to take the situation into his own hands.

“Hey Jooheon, how are Yoshi and Guchi?” Minhyuk asked, belatedly realizing that he just interrupted his friend mid sentence. But the younger didn’t seem to mind as a bright smile appeared on his face.

“They’re really good! I took new pictures of them yesterday, do you wanna see?” the red haired boy asked excitedly.

Minhyuk quickly stood up, glancing at a curious Hoseok. “Actually, I just remembered something I have to do in my room. But I’m sure Hoseok hyung would love to see them.” The ravenette seemed like he liked soft, cute things. If he didn’t completely fall for cat dad Jooheon, then he was a lost cause. “Hyunwoo hyung, can you help me please?”

“What do you need help with?” Hyunwoo asked, blinking up at him.

Minhyuk rolled his eyes. Obviously the elder wasn’t reading the situation. “Hyung. Help. Now.” He enunciated sternly. The brunette gave a confused look before standing. They were ignored by the other two, Jooheon already excitedly showing Hoseok pictures of his cats.

The blonde happily skipped to his room, hearing his roommate’s soft footsteps following behind. He waited for the elder to enter before he shut the door behind him. Hyunwoo gave him a questioning look, and Minhyuk even sensed a slight note of fear in his eyes. But the younger boy only answered with a smile as he took a seat on the edge of his bed.

Hyunwoo lingered near the door, looking unsure of what he was supposed to do. Minhyuk rolled his eyes again. Obviously the elder still had no idea what was happening and would need it explained to him.

“As you can probably tell, I don’t need help with anything hyung. I just thought we should be separate from the other two for a little bit,” Minhyuk cooed sweetly, patting the spot beside him in invitation. Hyunwoo took a seat, looking around curiously. It was only then that the blonde realized this was his first time in the younger’s room.

Suddenly feeling self conscious, the blonde also looked around. It was decorated simply, with cheap furniture and posters of various Korean and Western bands adorning the walls. Unopened textbooks lined the shelves and an empty bag of potato chips lay beside his alarm clock. He wasn’t sure when those got there, but should probably put them away.

Hyunwoo looked at Minhyuk, almost tentatively. “Why do we need to be separate?”

Minhyuk threw his head back, a full laugh busting from him. He turned to the elder with a sweet, teasing smile. “Hyung, do you really think I can’t tell when someone has a crush?”

Suddenly, Hyunwoo looked different. He looked terrified. The brunette froze with wide eyes. The younger didn’t even know if he was breathing.

“You can tell?” Hyunwoo croaked out, volume no louder than a whisper.

Minhyuk tilted his head in confusion. What was this reaction? Did Hyunwoo really take Hoseok’s little crush that seriously?

“Well yeah, I mean Jooheon isn’t exactly subtle about being awestruck by your friend. And Hoseok hyung looks at Heony with literal heart eyes.”

Hyunwoo’s eyes softened with an emotion Minhyuk couldn’t pinpoint. “Oh. That. Yeah, they have taken to each other fairly quickly, haven’t they?” the elder commented with a low laugh.

Minhyuk grinned. Whatever had just plagued the air was gone, and the comfort of his roommate's presence returned. “It’s understandable. They’re both cute. It’s just a crush but Jooheon is a great guy and if Hoseok’s your friend then I trust him.”

At Hyunwoo’s questioning look the blond gave another laugh. “I mean, you’re friends with me and that obviously means you have great taste. So if you’re close with someone, they must be a good person.” Minhyuk realized he never thought about it before, but he believed what he said. Even if they weren’t the closest yet, the blonde trusted the elder more than he could describe.

Again, the memories of last night threatened to creep into his mind. Of how safe he felt. He quickly gave his head a shake as Hyunwoo glanced at him, suddenly looking fond. “Well I hope to live up to that expectation,” he commented, playfully nudging the younger’s shoulder with his own.

The blonde expected him to sit back up, but was surprised when he felt the elder lean on him slightly. If was cautious, as if testing if Minhyuk would pull away and let him fall. But he didn’t. Minhyuk stayed right where he was, not daring to look anywhere but forward. As he felt the brunette slowly put more weight on his shoulder, the blonde decided to chance a look at the boy’s face. He didn’t know what was happening, and he didn’t know why he felt like he was nailed in place.

He turned his head to the side slightly only for his breath to hitch. The elder was already looking at him. But when their eyes met, neither looked away.

Minhyuk was so close to his roommate’s deep brown eyes. They were pretty and genuine. He liked them. He liked them a lot.

He wasn’t sure how long they stared at each other, but Minhyuk finally broke eye contact with an awkward cough. Sensing his cue, the elder sat back up, releasing his weight from Minhyuk's side. The blonde stood slowly, suddenly not sure of where to look.

“We should go back out.” Minhyuk’s shaky voice betrayed him. “We gave them enough bonding time.” He forced out a laugh. Hyunwoo looked at him and smiled.

“Sure. Let’s go” Minhyuk’s heart clenched at the kind face that looked back at him.

No. It was just Hyunwoo. Just his roommate. Still a boy he barely knew. He could not, would not let himself think anything strange. He still wasn’t sure Hyunwoo wanted to be friends, there was no use slightly crushing on him. He gave his head another shake. Not that he was crushing at all.

As he followed Hyunwoo out the door, his eyes dropped down the elders backside for just a moment.

Nope. Definitely nothing but platonic feelings for his roommate.

They walked out to find Jooheon and Hoseok sitting on the couch, both smiling at the phone they were holding between them. They were close in proximity, as their smiles alternated from the phone to each other.

“Whatcha doing?” Minhyuk chirped. He expected the boys to be embarrassed and put some space between them. But they simply smiled up at the blonde, making no move to get away from each other.

“After I showed Hoseok hyung Yoshi and Gucchi, he wanted to show me his own cats. They are so cute!” Jooheon enthusiastically told his friend. Minghyuk smiled at how happy his best friend looked.

With a sigh, Hoseok stood from the couch. “Well, I should probably get home. I got some homework to do.”

Jooheon gave a cute pout. “Do you have to go hyung? We were gonna order pizza.” Minhyuk had to stifle a laugh. He could tell his friend was purposely playing up his cuteness to get the elder to stay.

Hoseok gave a soft laugh and ruffled Jooheon’s hair fondly. “Not tonight Heony. I’ll text you later though, ok?”

Minhyuk smirked. Anyone could tell the ravenette was already smitten with the adorable boy.

“I’ll walk you out,” Hyunwoo’s low voice spoke from Minhyuk's side.

“Bye Minhyuk, it was nice meeting you,” Hoseok called with a final wave as he followed Hyunwoo to the door.

Minhyuk watched as Jooheon’s eyes lingered on the retreating figures before he heard the front door close.

“So...” Minhyuk started, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Jooheon gave a laugh. “What?” he asked, feigning ignorance. Minhyuk saw a faint blush creep onto his friend’s cheek with a laugh. He would drop the topic for now, Jooheon would confide in him later

“So....” Jooheon started, also raising his eyebrows. The blonde tilted his head, genuinely confused about what he was implying. Jooheon nodded at the door, now raising only one eyebrow.

Oh. He meant Hyunwoo.

“No,” Minhyuk spoke in what he hoped sounded like a steady voice.

A smirk appeared on the younger’s face. “Hyung, you went in your room. And. Shut. The. Door,” he emphasized, clapping between each word.

Minhyuk scoffed, trying not to let his panic show. “That was only for you guys.”

“Well, we weren’t the only ones who got some nice time alone.”

Minhyuk scratched at his wrist nervously. Maybe he should tell his friend the thought that crossed his mind earlier.

“Well actually,” the blonde stopped as he heard the door open again.

“Yeah hyung?” Jooheon asked, no longer teasing as he sensed the elder’s serious tone.

But it was too late. Hyunwoo was already approaching the couch again. “I was thinking we could get that pizza now.”

“Sure,” the younger said with a smile. “I’ll order it now.” Minhyuk knew Jooheon could see through him. But he also knew his friend would wait until the blonde was ready to tell him. Minhyuk smiled at Hyunwoo as the elder sat on the couch beside Jooheon, who had his laptop open.

That’s right. Minhyuk had to get his own feelings sorted before he told his friend anything. He just needed a little more time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have next weeks chapter written but am starting school tomorrow and am also experiencing writers block. School means either I'll be too busy to write or I will be avoiding school work and get LOTS of writing done haha so we shall see. Thank you for all the love and support, it means the world to me. Thank you so so much. Special shout out to Carla and Jade just because XD  
> Let me know what you think about the chapter/how the story is going! - Jay


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Chapter Yay~!  
> Tw for a minor panic attack near the end of the chapter.  
> It's not described in too much detail but I didn’t want to catch anyone off guard.  
> -Jay

During the next few days, Minhyuk became occupied with research projects and essays. He would attend his classes, study in the library, go to work and not arrive home until late in the evening.

The two roommates quickly adapted a comfortable routine. They would always eat breakfast together, waking up at the same time even if one of them didn’t have class. It was the only meal of the day they were both home for.

They were usually silent as they ate their cereal and struggled to wake up. But it was comforting, and Minhyuk grew fond of seeing Hyunwoo’s stoic face and messy hair sitting across from him every morning.

In the evening, the two boys always ended up in the living room. Sometimes they would watch TV or a movie, or simply put music on while they studied. It was a silent agreement they had. Minhyuk didn’t know how or when it started, and he was sure the elder wouldn’t have an answer either. Most of their time together was spent in comfortable silence. 

As the days passed, the blonde became more comfortable living with Hyunwoo. It was at a point where he couldn’t remember what it was like not having the elder as a roommate. Minhyuk grew accustomed to having to throw the elder’s gym bag into his room because it had been forgotten on the couch. He looked forward to being greeted with a small smile when he arrived home. The blonde came to enjoy the idol music that the elder would listen to, unaware that it could be heard through the thin walls of his room.

Although they were more comfortable, they still weren’t quite friends yet. Minhyuk still wanted to get to know his roommate better. He just couldn’t find the right opportunity. It seemed a shame to ruin their quiet mornings and evenings with unnecessary words.

~~

Minhyuk sighed, feeling at a loss with his essay. He glanced to the couch, visible from his spot at the table. The younger had to hide a smile as Hyunwoo’s muscular arms clutched a pillow, a small pout on his face. The blonde had tuned out whatever drama the elder was watching, but took comfort in the background noise. He turned his focus back to his laptop, before quickly deciding he was too tired to continue. 

The blonde closed his laptop with a sigh, lifting his gaze to the couch again. But he could no longer see his roommate. A frown formed as he furrowed his eyebrows. The brunette had just been there, where could he have gone in a span of 5 seconds? Slightly concerned, Minhyuk stood and walked to the other room.

A soft smile spread across his face at the sight he was met with. Hyunwoo had lain down on the couch from his sitting position. The blonde quietly approached and had to suppress a laugh. The elder’s broad build barley fit on the couch as he still clutched the pillow and curled up his legs.

Not really having a reason, Minhyuk crouched down, bringing his face close to the brunette’s. The younger boy hugged his knees, looking over his sleeping roommate’s face. His tan skin looked smooth and soft. The elder’s handsome features were still noticeable, even in his slumber. It crossed Minhyuk’s mind how Hyunwoo exuded the same strong and comforting vibes while asleep as he did when he was awake. Almost reflexively, Minhyuk reached his hand out, gently brushing a stray hair covering Hyunwoo’s eyes. He only realized what he was doing when the elder shifted, clutching the pillow tighter and letting out a deep sigh. Minhyuk froze, hand hovering over the brunette, afraid he might wake up. It was only when the brunette’s breathing evened out again that he dropped his hand to his side and stood up.

What was wrong with him? He gave his head a little shake, sparing one last glance to the sleeping figure before making himself look away.

Minhyuk grabbed his laptop and swiftly walked to his room. Throwing the device on his bed, he brought his hands up to his newly hot cheeks and gave them a little tap. “No Minhyuk. No no no. Not him. He’s your roommate, you can’t.”

He paused. He couldn’t what? Why was he insinuating something he hadn’t even thought through? He gave his head another shake as he climbed into bed and opened his laptop, desperate for a distraction.

It seemed to work, as hours later he was focused solely on his small screen, catching up on an anime. As his eyelids grew heavily, he figured it was time to try sleeping. He glanced at the clock, only to realize he had just watched 3 hours of anime with no concept of time. At least he didn’t have school on Fridays. The blonde closed his laptop gently, reaching over to slide it under his bed. He hadn’t even turned the light off. He supposed he should do that, but the distance to the switch suddenly looked so long. 

No, he had to turn it off. Minhyuk heaved a big sigh, willing his eyes to stay open for just a few more seconds. He swung his legs off the edge of his bed, facing the wall.

His previously half closed eyelids suddenly shot open as he registered movement in his peripheral vision. All drowsiness disappearing, he reflexively brought his legs up to smoothly stand on the bed. He kept his eye on the spot, only to be met with what he hated most.

Once again, a spider had appeared in front of him. But this time, it was in his room. 

Minhyuk stilled as the spider slowly started to crawl closer. Hyunwoo was sleeping, and the blonde couldn’t bring himself to wake him. He didn’t even trust himself to scream, fear seemingly freezing his vocal chords along with his legs.

Minhyuk could only stare as the spider continued to crawl. His best hope was to suddenly acquire laser vision and be rid of the beast. The blonde quickly glanced behind him to the door. He would have to make a run for it. 

After mentally counting to three, Minhyuk quickly jumped off his bed. He grabbed his phone and ran out of the room, taking care not to slam the door as he closed it with haste.

He ran to the living room with the intention of sleeping on the couch. It was only when he saw his roommate’s sleeping figure that he remembered it was already occupied. Minhyuk tried to think clearly, feeling himself start to hyperventilate. He quickly wiped the tears that had formed in his eyes, pacing around the kitchen aimlessly. The blonde really didn’t know what to do. He felt so scared and at a loss. And now he didn’t have a place to sleep.

Minhyuk lowered himself to the floor, leaning against the counter. He gave up trying to stop his tears, letting them stream heavily down his face. He tried to sniff as quietly as he could, caught between his emotions and not wanting to wake up Hyunwoo. Minhyuk tried to calm down and think logically about how he could get some sleep

So the couch was taken. Unless he slept on the floor (which he didn’t care to do), the only other place in the house available to sleep was… Hyunwoo’s bed. 

Minhyuk bit his lip in contemplation. The elder had been so understanding of his phobia, maybe if he explained everything in the morning it would be okay? It was still weird, but the blonde couldn’t think of any other options right now. What if Hyunwoo got really creeped out? It was his private space after all, it wasn’t right for Minhyuk to barge in. Maybe he should just try sleeping in his bed after all.

Suddenly, the vivid memory of the spider crawling towards him re-entered Minhyuk’s mind. He gave his head a little shake, not wanting to cry again. He promptly stood and looked at Hyunwoo on the couch. He would just have to understand.

Because there was no way Minhyuk was going back to his own room tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!  
> Soooo this is the last chapter I have written for now. So I'm not sure if I will be back next week but I will be back soon I promise. Subscribe or stay tuned to my twitter for more news. Send me comments, encouragement and motivation for faster updates lol. Speaking of such, thank you to my new friend Nat who gave me some writing confidence this week!  
> Love you all! Thank's for sticking with me and this fic!  
> -Jay


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter yay! Finally! Sorry for the wait. I've had this written for over a week but procrastinated with editing because I wasn't 100% satisfied with it. I still am not totally loving it but I just want to move on to the next part! I hope you enjoy it anyway!! - Jay

Cinnamon.

When Minhyuk awoke, his nose was flooded with the delicious and comforting smell of cinnamon. The blonde kept his eyes closed, burrowing deeper into the blankets. Why was Hyunwoo’s bed so comfortable?

The night before, Minhyuk had quickly drifted off to sleep within seconds. He wondered if it had to do with Hyunwoo’s bed being bigger than his own. He now lay on his side, warm from the thick blanket snuggled tightly around him. Minhyuk gripped the sheets, feeling way too cozy to move.

Until suddenly the warmness around him started to move.

Until he heard what sounded like a soft snore. 

The blonde’s eyes shot open and he jerked his head back in reflex, too shocked to scream. He blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the drowsiness that still clouded his vision.

But he didn’t want to move too much.

And that was because a few inches from his face, was Hyunwoo.

His roommate’s sleeping visage looked just as peaceful and handsome as he had on the couch the night before. Quickly deciding that he should get out of the bed, the blonde carefully propped himself up on his elbow. He started to draw away from the elder, only to realize that Hyunwoo had an arm around his waist.

Minhyuk didn’t allow himself to think about how a small part of him wanted to just go back to sleep in Hyunwoo’s embrace. No, he wouldn’t think about that. 

The blonde slowly wiggled back, finding it difficult to move delicately on his side.

Minhyuk froze as Hyunwoo stirred. Suddenly, the elder’s previously limp arm tensed as he grabbed and pulled Minhyuk forward. The blonde was thrown off balance by the sudden movement. Surprised by the movement, Minhyuk could only curl his arm in front of him as he was dragged to his roommate.

For a second he didn't even breathe. Hyunwoo had brought him so close, trapping him in a tight embrace. Minhyuk’s body stiffened, not knowing what to do. 

The blonde could only stare at the beautiful face in front of him. Almost reflexively, Minhyuk reached out a hand to gently stroke Hyunwoo’s cheek. He smiled to himself, thinking that it was just as soft as it looked. Realizing what he did, he quickly brought his hand back. It was only because his roommate had an attractive face, he decided. Nothing deeper prompted the action.

After what seemed like an eternity, Hyunwoo suddenly flipped over, releasing Minhyuk from his grasp.

Without thinking it through, but not wanting to miss the opportunity, the blonde quickly rolled toward the edge of his bed.

It was only after he had pulled all the blankets with him that he regretted his strategy. Suddenly finding himself tangled in the sheets gave him little time to react as he approached the edge after a single roll. Unable to do anything, the boy fell to the ground, landing on his back with a loud thud.

“Ow,” Minhyuk winced, shocked from the impact and restricted by the blanket sushi roll he had become.

“Minhyuk? Are you ok?” The blonde turned his head as much as he could, seeing Hyunwoo sitting up in bed. His eyes were still half shut as he looked over at the boy on the floor. It was amusing how even in this strange situation Hyunwoo’s first response was to ask if he was alright.

“Oh yeah,” Minhyuk croaked out, voice hoarse first thing in the morning. “I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” he said in false cheeriness, hoping humour would save him from the immense embarrassment he was feeling.

“Ok but,” Hyunwoo’s face appeared directly above him as the boy learned over the edge of the bed. “What are you doing?”

“I…um… Well… “ Minhyuk struggled against the blanket, finally wiggling free and sitting up. His roommate propped his head up on his hands, laying horizontally on the bed. Suddenly at eye level, Minhyuk wasn’t sure what he should say. “I’m sorry I slept in your bed,” he finally settled on.

Hyunwoo gave a soft smile, eyes sparking with curiosity. “That’s ok Minhyuk. But the question is…. Why did you sleep here last night?”

The blonde slowly rose to his feet as his roommate shifted to a sitting position. Minhyuk took a seat beside him, the memories of the night before suddenly terrifying him again. “Well hyung you see, you were on the couch and I couldn’t sleep in my bed because there was a spider and-” His words were cut off as he was suddenly brought into a quick hug, with Hyunwoo letting go as quickly as he grabbed him. His roommate held him by the shoulders, deep brown eyes suddenly devoid of sleep.

“Minhyuk,” he said very seriously. “I am so sorry.” The blonde tilted his head in confusion, but only finding concern in the other boy’s eyes.

He gave a nervous laugh, standing up from the bed to put some distance between them. “It’s ok?” He laughed again, unsure of what the boy was apologizing for.

Hyunwoo gave a cough, as if realizing how serious he had been. A soft smile spread across his face. “I mean, that must have been scary for you. You should have woken me.”

Minhyuk shrugged, hoping he looked casual. “It’s fine. I’m ok.” He couldn’t bring himself to look at his roommate’s eyes. It was like Hyunwoo knew he was lying, like he knew the blonde wasn’t fine, but how?

Hyunwoo continued to look at him, eyes filled with an understanding that confused the blonde. As if remembering where they woke up, Hyunwoo broke eye contact and gave another cough. “Sorry, by the way. I woke up in the middle of the night and came to bed. I was so tired I didn’t even see you there.”

Minhyuk gave a little laugh. He wasn’t sure if he would ever get over how kind his roommate was. “I’m the one who should be sorry, hyung. I slept in your bed without asking.”

Hyunwoo shrugged, making eye contact again and smiling. Catching sight of the clock, his head whipped around as he stood with a start. “I didn’t realize it was so late, I gotta go to school soon.”

Minhyuk nodded. “I’ll put some cereal and milk in a bowl for you.” The blonde started for the door, suddenly eager to leave the room.

“Oh Minhyuk?” The younger boy spun around quickly in answer to the call.

The elder suddenly brought a hand to his nape. The blonde tilted his head, knowing by now that this meant he was about to say something he was embarrassed of.

“Were you… uh…” His roommate suddenly became occupied with a loose thread on his shirt. “Were you comfortable last night?”

Minhyuk furrowed his eyebrows. “Yeah I was fine. Why?”

The elder broke into a relieved smile, previously tense shoulders relaxing as he met the blonde’s eyes. “Oh good. It’s nothing. I’ve just been told I cuddle in my sleep. I was worried I did that to you.”

The blonde only blinked back at him. Desperately trying to get the image of Hyunwoo’s strong arms embracing him, handsome face so close. Totally not imagining anyone else in the same position and definitely not feeling a small pang of jealousy in his gut. “You’ve been told-” His slow words were cut off by Hyunwoo swearing as he picked up his phone.

“Hoseok is waiting for me, I have to get changed and go. I’ll skip breakfast today and we can talk when I get home. Feel free to barricade yourself in my room today.”

And with that, Hyunwoo hastily shut the door with one hand as the other went to slip his shirt off. Minhyuk was left frozen outside the door, brain not really knowing what to do. He slowly turned around, putting up his hands to feel his cheeks. They were really warm. God, he hoped they weren’t red.

The next thing Minhyuk should do is to think about the situation. He should admit to himself anything he was starting to feel and truly figure out what he’s going to do about it. He should confide in Jooheon, who would surely be able to help him.

But he didn’t do any of that. Instead, Minhyuk, master of denial and distraction, walked to the kitchen to get himself some breakfast, only allowing thoughts of his essay to invade his brain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Side note it is 4 am and it's unbetaed so I'm sorry for any mistakes, I will look at it later. But also maybe not because I don't want to reread it looool. Please please please leave comments I require motivation lol. Talk to me on twitter too :) Have an amazing week! Until next time! - Jay

**Author's Note:**

> I made a twitter! Let's be mutuals! @ monrohaJay


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